Your Daily Slice

 

TAMMUZ 27

Sound of Silence

 

“And in the naked light I saw

ten thousand people, maybe more

People talking without speaking

People hearing without listening

People writing songs that voices never share

No one dare

Disturb the sound of silence”

(©1964 Simon & Garfunkel)

 

We live in an advanced, high tech world, where electronic devices abound by the billions.  Everything from cell phones to ceiling fans, from televisions to tablets, from vacuum cleaners to freezers to HD entertainment centers.  And they all make their own noise, with most being audible to the human ear.  There is no such thing in our modern world as true silence; as I sit in my office writing this, I can hear my computer tower, in addition to the sound of the ceiling fan in the next room, with the echo of the washing machine beyond that.  I believe we have lost something valuable in the advancement of our modern world.

 

For many years, my husband and I enjoyed taking our horses and traveling to what is known as the ‘wilderness areas’ within the National Forests of Wyoming.  These are areas that are only accessible to the non-motorist; there are no motorized vehicles (or equipment, such as chainsaws) allowed in these specific regions, and the only way to travel in and through them is either on foot, or by riding, be it a horse or a mule.  The only sounds to be heard within the boundaries of these areas are the sounds of nature, disturbed occasionally by the noise of a plane high above.  We would cherish our time spent on these ‘retreats’, for we found that when we returned to civilization, we would be more in balance, our relationship with our Creator once again where it should be, and our ‘batteries were recharged’,

 

The prophet Elijah also found refuge in a place of silence.  Running in fear for his life, Elijah ended up on Mt Horeb, known as the mountain of Elohim (see 1Kin 19:8), and it was there that Elohim met with the prophet.  From the vociferous great wind, to the violent earthquake, ending with the wild and raging fire, Elijah learned the value of silence, for it was then he was able to hear the “still small voice” of our Creator as He spoke and ministered to Elijah (see 1Kin 19:11-13).

 

I have heard schizophrenia defined as hearing ‘many voices’, all at the same time.  In truth, is that not true of many of us, in this modern world we live in?  I know of several people who cannot stand to be home alone without some kind of noise playing, be it the television, radio, or CD player. How is our Father supposed to speak with us through all the racket and din we surround ourselves with?  Yes, I am well aware of the saying “my Father knows how to get my attention when He needs to”, but are we not told WE are to seek HIM, not the other way around (see Ps 24:6; 27:8; Mat 6:33; Col 3:1) ?  Whatever happened to ‘ask/seek/knock’ (Mat 7:7)?

 

I would like to issue a challenge to all of us (myself included) who claim to be children of the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  I would challenge each one of us to take a set amount of time each day, be it 5 minutes, or 50 minutes, and set it aside as a time of silence.  Let us learn again the value of being quiet and still in the presence of our Creator, sitting at His feet.

 

“Be still, and know that I am Elohim; I am exalted among nations, I am exalted in the earth!” (Ps 46:10)

 

“But יהוה is in His set-apart Hĕḵal. Let all the earth be silent before Him.” (Hab 2:20)

 

“Therefore thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel: When you will repent and rest you will be saved; IN QUIETNESS AND IN HOPE SHALL BE YOUR STRENGTH; but you would not listen.” (Isa 30:15 LBP, emphasis mine)

 

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