QUIET

 There are days---when I have nothing---absolutely nothing.  I should stop here, but as I pondered my nothingness, it occurred to me what that might all be about.  Remembering I have been pretty much in the house and without human contact due to some virus it occurred to me how much I am impressed with inspiration by others.  Man is not meant to be alone---and I was alone a great deal last week.  (This was written two weeks ago)  

I then pondered upon our persistent busyness.  As I observe others, it becomes apparent most of us stay extremely busy.  Why?  Where does this insatiable need to fill every single minute of every single day come from?  Do we not feel productive if every second is not filled?  How many conversations do you have about all you have to do, need to do and are presently doing?  DO ~ DO ~ DO  (No I am not breaking out in song).  The busier we are--or at least the busier we appear to be --we are implying our importance---our success--our ability to get things done.  I am not criticizing--those who know me well--know it is really difficult for me to sit still.  BUT perhaps some stillness is not only needed but necessary - especially in our relationship with God Almighty.  As with every other relationship in our lives, we need to listen for His voice.  If we are busy---continuously busy---can we hear Him?  Am I only listening to the reverberation of my own voice?  OR---can I sit--be still and listen?  Start with one minute---a mere 60 seconds---sit -be quiet and listen.  Add to that over a period of time.  If we are to tithe our resources--it not time one of our most important resources?  Can we freely give to God---our time and listen?  The beginning of growing a relationship is hearing the other---listening to their voice.  Can I give God my time--and sit in quietness--with no distraction and just listen?

"Be still and know that I am God"

Psalm 46:10

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"Be still (and quiet) and

KNOW that 

I AM GOD"

Psalm 46:10

SHHHH ~ QUIET

My daughter's family all sleep with a white noise machine on full blast.   They are drowning out the sounds of the creaking and popping, ice machine emptying, late night cat fights, traffic, in fact you really cannot hear anything but the machine and its static sound.  I cannot sleep with the white noise machine.  I am a very light sleeper, and that gives me a great sense of security.  I will hear any noise out of the ordinary.  I want to know if anyone makes the mistake of trying to break in my home, I will hear the noise.  I sleep with the ordinary noises of the night and no white noise drowning them out.

 We live in a world filled with white noise and we become so accustomed to it that we cease to hear it.  While living in Fort Worth, I lived a block from the train track and two blocks from the hospital district.  Even though I am a light sleeper, in time, I grew accustomed to the early morning trains-they began at 5:00 AM and the helicopters flying over delivering patients.  Those sounds became part of my accustomed white noise.  A part of the night time noises which my brain knew were to be expected.

I wonder if we become so dulled by the consistent white noises in our life that we become lulled into complacency.  The television is roaring, Alexa keeps a constant stream of music, traffic rolls, sirens scream, and on and on.  Why even in the quiet of our vehicles we hear the hum of the tires and cars whizzing by.   No wonder we are dulled and unaware of all the interruptions of the quiet necessary for deep contemplation.  How many of us dare to climb into our closet, purposefully find quiet and stillness to stop and think and perhaps pray.  To listen for the emptiness of soundlessness which allows deep contemplation.  How many of us dare to be

"Alone in the quiet of the hush of our own soul."

It is a learned practice as with any discipline.  Start with a few short minutes and slowly add to your time.  With the practice of quiet, what may we discover about ourselves and God?

"Before daybreak the next morning,

Jesus got up and 

went out to an isolated place to pray."

Mark 1:35