The title of my post today is from a little book called “Interludes” by Linda Anderson. Ordinarily I only use Oswald Chambers for my private devotional time but every once in a while I pick this one up.
I really like the phrase, “a strange and holy hush”. I have the TV turned off, of course, because I’m reading my Bible, etc. But then I have a door re-do I have to get back to. So, of course, I’m tempted to turn on the TV in another room so I can listen. I’m very easily bored. But right now all is quiet and it does feel strange. I wonder how the “ancients” practiced quiet. I mean, except for the camels (I can’t describe the sound they make because I don’t know) it was pretty quiet anyway, wasn’t it? So how else could they make it any quieter? Think about it. There were no other choices. I think the answer is it was an “inner” quiet they learned to practice. And, of course, they chose not talk themselves. Although how noise can a bunch of monks be anyway?
Carving out “quiet” these days is pretty hard. And while I think it’s important to have some very quiet moments each day, maybe even at scheduled times throughout the day but we need to be careful not to make a “religion” out of it. Often, we Christians take a facet of our faith and make it the cornerstone. It’s that part of our faith we read about the most, the one we talk about the most, the one we think everyone else should center their faith around. There is only one cornerstone and that if Christ.
How we practice our faith everyday is as unique as Christ. For me, too much quiet can be as much a distraction as too much noise. Beside, all lot of people who promote a great deal of solitude are the “noisiest” inside. My outward persona is quite noisy but the inside of me is (usually) very quiet and still. How many people have you met who are very quiet and yet you can feel the animosity and anger just oozing out to them?
Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely believe in periods of quiet and solitude. I believe, along with Stormie Omartian that “The more tme you spend with God in quiet solitude, the better you hear his voice guiding you and directing you in times of busyness and noise.” But I would add that quietness of spirit is attainable no matter how noisy it is around us.
That’s what I’m shooting for in my life. A calm assurance that God is ever present no matter what emotional upheavals I am facing.
I hope you find the quietness you need today.
God bless.
