Silence?

We had an officer's training session yesterday at church. We began with a devotion about silence. Are we so distracted by the noises of everyday life that we fail to hear God?

I thought about that. There were a few questions asked in the devotion that warrant examination, so I'm going to take the time to do that here.

When was the last time you experienced silence? I need silence, and I have a need for solitude. Because I'm aware of that, I find the time to include it in my schedule, although it usually just happens naturally. When I haven't had it, I am grouchy and on edge. The devotion asked us to remember the last time we had experienced silence. For me it was my devotional time earlier that day, plus the hour before the training. I drove down to church with Steve, and spent an hour working on the blog in our conference room. Which brings me to a question of my own....

Does silence require emptying your mind? I suppose silence, in some cases, might mean a mind empty of thoughts and distractions. What worries me is that I think some people believe that God ONLY comes to us when we are very quiet. God pulls me closer when we work on the blog. He wanders through my mind when I turn off the radio in the car and just think about the challenges of the day. Sitting in the conference room yesterday morning before the training, next to the kitchen, working on the computer, I could hear the rumblings of conversation coming from the social hall as the men ate breakfast. It wasn't silence, but it was comforting and warm. God can speak to me in that kind of "silence."

Are we called to silence? Sometimes I think we are, but we are called to silence only temporarily. It is not to be our permanent home. Our calling from God -- our mission in this world -- is in the noise, not in the silence. The silence is preparation for our time spent in the noise. In the noise is where we find other people. It is where there are homeless people who need to be fed. It is where we find children who need to hear about God. The noise is where our community is found -- the body of Christ which nurtures and sustains us. Silence is only the launching point -- not the destination. The only one who is loved in the silence is God. In the noise, we find our neighbors.

Can God use the noise to further his work in the world? I'm sure that he can. The devotion listed several "noise factors" in our world. Can these be a means of ministry? Can noise-makers such as the phone, voice mail, email, TV and the radio be used for ministry? I know I minister and receive God's blessing through email. The radio (or the iPod) in my car is a means for God to speak to me through music. Ever been touched by God through the telephone? I have. Don't discount the role of the noise-makers in bring God into our lives.

Allow God to prepare you in the silence. Don't be so intent on silence that you miss the noise of God. Go from silence into the noise of the world to do ministry. And never forget that God can use anything to bring about his kingdom - even noise.

Image: Ice encased bushes near our home