Where do go to find peace and quiet? Why is such place so important for you?
In the Old Testament book of 1st Kings there is a moment when the prophet Elijah who was so afraid of enemies he hid in a cave, begging for God to come to him in some dramatic way. There was thunder and lightning but God was not there. Then a whirlwind strong enough to break boulders into gravel shook the mountain, but God was not there. An earthquake followed but Elijah still heard nothing from God. Suddenly it was quieter than quiet and Elijah could hear God.
Matthew’s Gospel tells of a time Jesus’ disciples were alone in a raging storm on the lake in the middle of the night but Jesus wasn’t there to help them. More afraid than they had ever been, and close to panic, they suddenly saw Jesus walking out of the storm and coming their way. Peter was so afraid he tried to walk on the water to get to Jesus but his fear caused him to sink. Jesus lifted him up, joined them in the boat, and suddenly the storm was silent.
It is easy to criticize the disciples’ fear or Elijah’s terror, but how often have each of us sought refuge and felt there was no place to escape our storms? Why shouldn’t the disciples and Elijah have been afraid? We have been there and done that as well. Elijah assumed the almighty God would only come in a powerful way. Peter couldn’t wait for Jesus to come to him and tried to do it his way. And both of them learned that it was only in the silence of surrender that God would reveal the solution to their fears. For both the answer came not in noisy actions, whether full of bravery or fear, but in their silence. There are two key words in each of those accounts, and they were silence and faith! In each case it is interesting that silence preceded faith.
What do you do when noises around you are greater than faith? Silence is the place where faith has opportunity to begin (when I listen for someone else’s voice.) Faith is what follows as God’s breath then becomes the life of our actions. Elijah heard God only when it was quiet and disciples perked up only in the quiet that followed the storm.
One of God’s commandments is for a regular day called the Sabbath. It was to be a day of rest. Of quiet. Of silence. It was time to focus only on God rather than our fears or lack of faith. In that silence, God’s children learn to remember that the God of the Sabbath is with us daily. And that time of quiet rest is practice for learning the same posture of submission to God every day and hour of the week. Silence finds a perfect ally in the Sabbath day rest. We would understand this better if we could treat Sabbath as a place (like prayer) rather than a time (once a week.) If we embraced it as an encounter with silence rather than thinking we needed to fill it with our noise we might hear God more often and more clearly.
The movement in these stories of Elijah and disciples is a journey form earthly noise into silence. It is in the emptying of my fears, and ignoring of my distractions, that I am more likely to hear God rather than the siren calls of an imperfect world. We need time to be quiet before God, so that God can be heard about our noise!
How often does daily noise prohibit or prevents faith? Elijah looked in the powerful noises of wind, earthquake and fire, but God was not there! In our way of thinking, these are godlike noises – so they must have a message. In the same way Peter thought walking on water was the ticket to closeness with God. But neither heard God in their noise filled actions.
Too often we assume we must do something to get close to God. But, how often does the noise we make get in way of real solutions and Christ-like faith? How often does the intentional silence or Sabbath rest allow God to give what he has always offered but got missed in noise?
Anyone can pray for miracles. The power! The majesty! The glory of God! We think walking on water would be the ticket to prove that God is changing my life. But the true awareness of God’s power is the embracing of FAITH (a noiseless moment) – and faith comes only when we let go!
Remember the axiom “children are to be seen and NOT heard?” That is more than respect – it is an opportunity to learn and to grow. And having a child like faith begins by being silent and listening in that silence. True and lasting worship begins and is filled full when I am able to listen and respond to the gentle, soothing, caring voice of the God who loves us more than we deserve.
What do you Israel’s 40-year silence in the desert was for?? Or Jonah’s three days in belly of whale? Elijah learned from silence in cave, as did Peter when the wind and his voice stopped roaring. And now you also understand the power of Jesus 3 days in tomb and why those three days of SILENCE are the most important three days of our daily worship!
How about this? Silence and faith are the antidotes to noise and fear!
Henri Nouwen (a priest and psychologist) wrote: A life without a lonely place, that is, a life without a quiet center, easily becomes destructive. In solitude we can listen to the voice of him who spoke to us before we could speak a word, who healed us before we could make any gesture to help, who set us free long before we could make any gesture to help, who set us free long before we could free others, and who love d us long before we could give love to anyone … When you are able to create a quiet place in the middle of your actions and concerns, your successes and failures slowly lose some of their power over you.
As a pastor I was often tempted to think I needed to be the answer and my words and actions in worship would help faith grow. Over time I realized I was making a lot of noise but not taking enough time to listen. I started taking a half day each week in a retreat setting. Praying, walking in silence, reading, and then writing. I was criticized by some for wasting time and yet those times helped me be closer to God and gave me inspiration for all that I was called to share with you.
I have been blessed with many mentors in my life. One is Pastor Brelje who has been a partner in ministry with me for many years. When I told him about my weekly retreat and the criticism of some, he told me to keep it up. He said that the biggest problem he has seen for pastors is when they started calling their place at church an office instead of a study. And I realized he was right. My uncles and grandfather who were pastors all spoke of their study … their place of reflection, prayer, and silence. They knew how much they needed to shut out the world and allow God to speak and lead and guide.
It is always tempting to let the noise of my schedules, the telephone, the busyness of leading worship, and my guilt at not doing more keep me from that regular silence. For a while I had given up that time of a weekly rest and retreat. During the quiet of our Covid months of having much time alone, I remembered what I had forgotten, which was the importance of being quiet and listening so that I would hear God. And what a gift my time of weekly silence and rest again has become.
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God!”
What miracles come out of such silence!