Yes, it is the title of a Simon and Garfunkel song, (Am I dating myself?) but more importantly it is an idea that we have long forgotten. We live in a world that embraces noise. We have become accustomed to the sound of the city, the racket of the radio, and the clatter of the caravan. Can we come to a place where silence dwells? Have we lost touch with an essential part of our lives? Sometimes it seems like we have. I remember spending time out on an unknown lake in stillness of the wild, in the silence of the morning mist, communing with the calm, just God and myself. It didn't matter if I caught a fish or not, the peacefulness was beautiful. Some of my favorite memories of my childhood involve just me, my God and my canoe.
Trying to enter a world of silence in our own lives can leave us as aliens in our own hearts and minds. We find ourselves wondering in a strange land search for something familiar, driving us back to the noise because the stillness is uncomfortable. When we open ourselves up to the experience of quietness, a million things try to enter our minds. Now I am not speaking of some zen meditation or some Yoga method, but just simply spending a few minutes in stillness, in peace. Henri Nouwen once said of silence that, "It offers the freedom to stroll in your own inner yard, and to rake up the leaves there and clear the paths so you can easily find the way to your heart."
Once you have raked up those leaves, in that silence, let the peace of God fill your heart with the truth that is His love for you. Let the sound of silence lead you into prayer, into conversation with your Lord. Just take that moment and talk to Him. Your life will be Be silent, be at ease, "Be still and know that I am God." Meditate on this from King David in Psalm 37, "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;"
Peace, and stillness, be with you.
Pastor Olsen, Have you ever read the book, "Learning to sit in the Silence?" I was just thinking about it today, and then I logged on here! (Oh, wow!) The book is very serious in nature,(sitting with with someone who is close to death) but it describes how we tend to be uncomfortable with our own silence and thoughts. We are all so busy...but when it really matters, if we are still and listen to what God has to say -- when we are given the time to actually do it, God shows himself gracious, loving and incredibly patient with us sinners! What a gift.
Enjoeyed your blog, In Christ Alone, Sue
Posted by: Sue Horak | August 20, 2005 at 07:51 PM