Monday, July 8, 2013

Silence Please!

The other day, my sons and I were doing a devotional together during breakfast. It was the story about Zechariah in the temple. The angel appeared and told him that he and his wife were going to have a baby. Zechariah didn't believe God, so God took away his voice for a season. He was forced to be quiet and contemplate what God was doing in his life. I won't rehash the whole devotional, but there was one point that stood out in this devotional for little boys: "It's very hard to hear God speak, or anyone else for that matter, if you are always making noise." 

SO...we went outside. We were very quiet and listened carefully to all the sounds around us. We heard a car drive by, a motorcyle zoom past, a squirrel running up a tree, and a helicopter flying over head. But there was one more sound...a very quiet sound---a family of birds singing really quietly, but very beautifully. If we had been making a lot of noise--running around being preoccupied with ourselves--we would have missed this soft melody completely.

The above story actually segways into this next story : My husband was outdoors pressure washing our patio furniture. Even though it was a brutally hot day, he suited up in a long sleeve shirt and long pants to avoid being carried off by mosquitoes. He worked hard for hours, but he seemed to be consoled by the fact that he was able to listen to his IPod nano--a gift he received from us for his birthday.

Well, little did I know, but he mistakingly left his treasured birthday gift in the pocket of his pants... and I threw it in the wash with his clothes. Needless to say, it came out squeaky clean, but it no longer worked. I expected him to be upset... Not with me, but just a general frustration for not having his iPod anymore. However, upon me gently breaking the news to him he said the oddest thing--or at least the last thing I had expected him to say.

He said that he felt the Lord telling him that he was too preoccupied--he needed more times of silence. I must say that my husband mainly uses his iPod for listening to contemporary worship, Christian hip hop, scripture podcasts, and 3dm devotionals--all good things. BUT, these good things were blocking out ALL of his quiet time to listen and hear the Lord's still, small voice. Although my husband felt this in his heart, he was having trouble implementing it...so the Lord lovingly helped him out.

Are you having the same struggle? Is your time too preoccupied with stuff (electronic or otherwise)? Determine today to put the Lord at the center of all you do. Be diligent about making quiet time with him, and be blessed by the peace you receive from time well spent with Him..

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being so patient with us. Thank you for creating us to need you. Please help us to take the time to quiet our hearts and minds and spend much needed quality time with you.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

"But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him." Habbakkuk 2:20

This is a repost from last year, but I pray that you will be still long enough to hear HIS still, small voice today. :)

2 comments:

  1. Beautiful and exactly what my family needed to hear. We too have been talking about listening to the Lord in silence. Thanks friend!

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