Day Thirty-nine Saturday (April 8)

Prayer:

Almighty God, silence the chaos and confusions that surround us so that we can hear, and then believe, the words of comfort, strength, hope, and peace that you speak to us. Amen.

Bible Reading:

Psalm 46

Silence:

One to two minutes

Reflection:

Someone has probably researched the volume of information and communications that we human beings are bombarded with on a daily basis, but it appears to me self-evident that the volume is massive. From the radio that wakes you up in the morning, to the newspaper and TV assaults, to the billboard and advertisements, to the remarks made by stranger and friends alike to the telephone book like menus we pour over for lunch to the grocery stores we consume in. It is awesome. I think we live in such a loud, noisy, and din-filled world, that we have a hard time hearing anything very clearly. We are distracted, our minds are never at rest (even when asleep), we are dealing with issues here, feeling there, crisis over there, choices, decisions, completing arguments, and on and on. Probably the most uncomfortable moments are moments of orchestrated silence, especially when they go longer than usual. This reality of noise is the way in which the devil keeps us from hearing the invitation, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” So the psalmist says for our health, “Be still, and know that I am God.” There is a place for silence, it may be the only place you hear God.

Action – Repentance and Creation:
Spend three periods of silence during your day. One right now, one in three hours from now, and the next three hours after that. Work at getting your silences more silent, that is, filled with nothing. Maybe by the third one, you will hear God.