Silence
By Steve Crowley
For God alone, O my soul, waits in silence, for my hope is from him. Psalms 62:5 (ESV)
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines silence as the forbearance of speech or noise, the absence of sound, stillness. I personally have come to believe silence is one of the strengths God has bestowed upon us, if we’d become comfortable with it. For many, silence is an uncomfortable unease. It’s a gap that many feel needs to be filled. Think for a moment of a time when you were engaged in conversation with others and the conversation stopped. How long did the silence linger before unease permeated everyone involved? We dislike silence. Hearing is one of our key sensors and when there is silence we sense a void and seek to fill it. In fact one of the strongest negotiating techniques is silence. The one who speaks first usually does so in a conciliatory manner because of the unease of silence.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalms 46:10 (ESV)
Yet God instructs us through His Word to be still, to embrace the stillness of silence so that we may come to know Him.
One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is the story of Elijah and his confrontation of King Arab and Queen Jezebel as told in the Book of 1 Kings chapters 18 and 19. Elijah was a man mightily used by God. Yet after Elijah had completed the task God had given him Elijah, exhausted, spent and in fear ran and hide even asking God to take his life. God instructed Elijah to go into solitude for a period of rest and refreshment. Then God instructed Elijah to travel to Mount Horeb and await word from God.
And He said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.” And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:11-13 (ESV)
It’s it just like us to look to hear from God in boisterous over the top kind of way! Yet God more times than not uses silence around us to enable us to hear the sound of a low whisper. When we stop and think about it, how can we hear from God when we are overwhelmed by the distractions of the noise around us. Therefore, embrace the times of silence and look to God and listen.
And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21 (ESV)
Holy and Sovereign God, by Your hand You created the heavens and the earth and by the sound of Your voice you silenced the storms. Blessed be Your holy name.
Lord, we humbly come before Your Almighty Throne of grace, thanking You for the times in our lives where we stand before You in silence seeking Your Word. Lord, may the silence around us enable us to open our ears and hearts to be sensitive to the sound of a whisper and the voice behind us as we seek You. Lord God, we ask in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Amen
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