Sounds of Silence

If you are as old I am, (well maybe as old as my wife) then you probably remember this song being played on the radio.



This Sunday our pastor was talking about listening to the silence, immediately this song came to mind.

How often do we really think about silence?

With all the noise of daily life I admit that I miss the words of encouragement and instruction that the Lord is putting on my mind and in my heart.

Our society has become so media conscience that silence is almost non-existent. Do you wake up to music on your alarm, if you exercise in the morning are you listening to your favorite motivation tunes? When you go to work are you listening to the radio in your car? When you get to work is the music playing on the PA system? The television and movies? Can you image the opportunities that have been missed because we were overwhelmed with such important noise.

What about the sound of silence? Have you ever just sat and listened to nothing but silence? As I sit here typing I am listening to nothing but the ringing in my ears. Sometimes the sound of nothing can be deafening.

I have often been alone in unfamiliar surroundings and just listened to the sounds around me. At those times I can imagine all sorts of machines and creatures that would be produce the sounds that I hear. That scratching I hear is it a rat in the wall or just the wind moving a branch, that loud ticking sound is it a bomb or just the wall clock? You know what I'm talking about right? Have you ever been out side with freshly fallen snow and noticed how quiet is it then?

Do you ever hear God in the silence? Elijah of old sure did.

1 Kings 19:12 "A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper. "

So often I feel that in order for God to do wonders it has to be a huge and explosive event, but He can do so much more when I am still and quiet. In the song there are the words "People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening" and then in the next verse "Hear my words that I might teach you Take my arms that I might reach you" Is this the way that we are, hearing God but not really listening? Do we talk to God but do not really say anything?

Now I am not saying that Simon and Garfunkel were great theologians but there are very good statements in this song that I think apply to me as a Christian.

Anyway just my usual off the wall babble. ===Skid===