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Silence

"A time to be silent and a time to speak."  Ecclesiastes 3:7b

Sometimes we all just need to be quiet.  Yes, there are those times whenever an argument will only be resolved if one party chooses to remain silent.  And yes, there are those times when the content or subject of a conversation is such that would be best if we didn't participate in it.  But the need for silence that I'm referring to is when our spirit is failing to hear the voice of God and silence might be the only way we can hear Him.

Our world is so very loud and we all contribute in our own way to the noise of the world.  I tend to have the type of personality that will participate in just about any conversation that is taking place around me.  Unfortunately, the voices around me are so much louder than the unassuming, respectful, quiet voice of God.  I often tend to miss hearing God's voice because of the magnitude of noise that is filling my ears on a daily basis.

In an effort to hear God's voice in a very clear and intentional way, I've tried to avoid unnecessary words, even written words.  I could have easily sat down at my computer and "phoned in" a devotional for the past couple of days, using my own direction rather than God's, but my heart's desire is to hear His voice and follow His lead.  In my desire to have a heart that is wholly devoted to God, I can't follow the mantra of the world, which advises us to

"Fake it 'til you make it!".

That philosophy might be accepted in society, but as Christians, we can't fake the voice of God.  We are either hearing it, or we're not.  We're either quiet before Him, or we're not.

I love the way Eugene Peterson's interpretation of the Bible, The Message, expresses this idea of listening for the voice of God.  His interpretation of the ever popular verse "Be still and know that I am God" in Psalm 46:10 is put in these very down to earth terms:

"Step out of the traffic!  Take a long, loving look at me, your High God,
above politics, above everything."

I hope you understand my hearts desire for "stepping out of the traffic" for a few days.  I wonder if perhaps you, too, need to step out of the traffic and listen for God. 

Have you heard God's still, small voice speak to you lately?

Are the noises that fill your ears at work, home, or even church overpowering the voice of God? 

Are you speaking, but really need to be silent?

While being faithful to a "Quiet Time" everyday is important, it will not necessarily take the place of being quiet and still before God during the other twenty-three and a half hours of your day.  If the noise of your surroundings are overpowering the quiet voice of God, then perhaps you need to intentionally take some time to be still and quiet before Him.  Out of all of the noise and voices that fill your ears each day, His voice is the most important of them all.

Comments

  1. I will never forget during one of your messages on a Sunday night me asking God why he was not answering my prayer. The answer came through your Dad's message that maybe I was not listening. I asked your Dad that night at alter call if I could start teaching in the church Sunday school room until I could get things figured out. I need to be reminded to listed!!

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  2. Psalms 46:10 is a passage that I have realized that I need to read daily...even though I have even purchased a pillow to hang on my bedroom door........with this verse on it......to read daily...I continually fail to obey......but even admitting guilt....the failures are mine and the days that were successful are His....,.so I take His words here as great comfort and praise His continual care. Thanks again for confirmation.

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