Tuesday, March 6, 2012

"And Whispered in the Sounds of Silence . . ."

Psalm 62:5
For God alone my soul waits in silence; for my hope is from him.

Silence . . .

How I cherish it!

When everyone is at work.  Just the cat, Jordan, and I at home.

The house so still, the softest sound becomes pronounced.

The dripping of the rain on the skylights.  Jordan's paws pacing the wood floor.  The gentle hum of the refrigerator.  The ticking of the clock.  The tap, tap, tapping of the keyboard as I type this.

I get up to make coffee.  My footsteps hit my ears like thunderclaps.  The running water from the faucet becomes a crashing wave.

The brewing coffee maker is a boiling cauldron, gurgling, hissing.  Its strident beeping to signal that coffee is ready pierces the air like a siren.  Shatters the silence.  Jangles my nerves.

Which quickly recover.

Because, the silence returns.  Undaunted.  Undiminished.

The quiet wherein even the sound of my voice is deafening.

So, I don't talk aloud to Jordan or myself.

I listen instead.

To my thoughts.  To the words I write.

And, wait in hope.  For the still, small voice.

Magnified by silence.

To fill my soul with His presence.

For, in the stillness, I know that He is God.
~
Do you spend quiet time with the Lord?

Please pray with me:
Thank you, Father, for being with us always, in times of silence and of clamor, of quiet and of chaos.  Help us to find those moments each day when we can simply be still and listen for Your voice.  Grant us Your peace which passes all understanding.  Amen.

Readings
Psalms 61, 62 or 68:1-20 (21-23) 24-36
Genesis 42:1-17
1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Mark 3:19b-35  

10 comments:

  1. Yes, I do. Normally before bedtime, while the house is quiet and I am relaxed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad to know you take this time, RoseAnn. Thanks so very much for stopping by today.
      Blessings!

      Delete
  2. Yes, I do...though not everyday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some days, it's just difficult to find quiet time - been there and done that, Janaki!
      Thanks so much for coming by today.
      Blessings!

      Delete
  3. yes, sometimes the stillness is so soothing and can God be experienced in such moment?

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    Replies
    1. The silence is when I encounter God most readily. When there is noise and confusion, my thoughts are likely to stray, so I really embrace those quiet times.
      Thanks so much for stopping by today, Portia!
      Blessings!

      Delete
  4. Hi Martha:
    Silence REALLY can be golden as they say. As the Social Frog does, I spend quiet solitude at bedtime. I also have quiet time when I meditate. It's fascinating what you can hear when there is no sound.

    Thanks, Martha!
    --
    Chris

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Chris, isn't it awesome what we DO hear in the silence? Glad you take time to be still before the Lord.
      Thanks so much for coming by today!
      Blessings!

      Delete
  5. I do enjoy my quiet time. It comes often when I'm sick or asleep but in my waking hours when I'm more sane, I've learned to find God at work, in the streets and among the people I meet each day. Words could be spoken so loudly, people might be rushing but there's a sound deep inside that makes it's voice heard. It allows me to pray the Psalm or utter a loud praise instead of a curse to those who step on my toes...

    When things get so clouded and when I feel so terribly tired, I could always go to a 'sacred' place in my heart where I could breathe goodness and feel His loving assurance (even for five minutes).

    My SD says silence is not the 'absence' of sounds or noise but the 'presence of Someone :)

    I pray with you today...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Melissa, and thanks for coming by!
      I love that you have learned to find God not just in the quiet times, but in the chaotic ones that surround us most of the time in real life. That is such a blessing!
      And, I absolutely love what your SD (and, I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know what SD stands for) about silence being the presence of Someone - what a marvelous reminder!
      Thank you, as ever, for praying with me, my friend!
      Blessings to you!

      Delete

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