A few months ago, before this silent interruption (Coronavirus) invaded our lives, I woke up in the middle of the night with this thought firmly planted in my mind and heart.
Silence is God’s Room.
I was not sure what this meant, but I got up to listen and scribble down what I felt God was speaking into my heart. Here are the words from this middle of the night conversation about the power of God through Silence. Indeed, Silence is the language of God.
Silence is God’s room.
It is not our words that fill His room. It is Silence that fills our words. Silence makes it possible for words to be heard. Just like darkness makes it possible for light to be seen. The most beautiful moments we ever experience are filled with Silence. You don’t get up early in the morning to walk on the beach to see the sunset. It’s not the sunset you came to see. It’s the Silence that breathes life into every bursting color painted across the sky.
Except for the sobbing sounds of your broken heart, it is Silence that held your father’s very last breath as he died in your arms. In those moments, God speaks in Silence through the solitary tear that rolled down his face. It’s not the symphony that you came to hear. It’s the Silence after each song is finished that washes over your soul with hope and inspiration.
The Silence at the ball game, with hand over heart, while thousands are waiting in stillness for the first words of the national anthem to be sung. It’s Silence that speaks of freedom. It’s Silence that fuels the poet’s spirit and imagination, the musician’s music and melody, the writer’s words, and meaning. Silence was the backdrop for all of creation.
Now, a few months later, the Coronavirus has ushered in an unprecedented time of crisis and uncertainty in American history and around the world. It has brought to a STANDSTILL life as we know it.
The hustle and bustle of a busy world has stopped and a time of reflection and contemplation has surprised our busy lives with time to consider what really matters in life. During the first two weeks in March, I was prayerfully considering what this STANDSTILL really means? Could God be allowing the whole world to stop in an effort to underline what is most important? Are we really standing still, or are we moving closer to a deeper understanding of the eternal – things that last and things that don’t?
Below is a piece that I wrote during this time of crisis and stillness to express what I believe is a “wake up” call to evaluate our own soul, and in fact, the soul of the nation and world. Please read this as a creative offering with substance, and as you do, pray for our children in the stillness of your own home. Pray that this momentary suffering and uncertainty brings a sense of clarity and a deeper understanding of God’s faithfulness and what life is truly all about.
STAND STILL
Some may say that the world coming to a STANDSTILL is such a waste of time…
You know “busy body” people who are trying to change the world or increase the zeros in their bank account to make them feel stronger and more secure…
Just one more vacation in Mexico…
One more fancy car…
One more…
You can hear them crying out right now in the midst of this silent stillness…
“We have so much to do!!”
“We are getting behind on all our goals!!”
“Oh my God, my metrics will suffer!!”
“I’m losing big money every day!!”
“Standing still is such a waste of time!!”
But…
Is STANDING STILL really a waste of time?
Or is it exactly what we need??
So, why do we need to STAND STILL??
To calm our spirit…to get focused…to think…to pray…
to contemplate on what we have learned.
What have we learned??
That in the blink of an eye…
All our money, our health and well being…
Our vacation plans and big events…
Can all fade away…
The reality of the Coronavirus has done one thing for sure…
It has made obvious the difference between what truly matters and what doesn’t…..
What is lasting and what is not…
While we are busy working on facing the challenges of a world STANDING STILL…
Maybe we should ask this question:
Are we working on it or is it working on us??
STAND STILL…
May God bless us in the midst of this stillness and Silence as we minister to Connie Maxwell children and families in Jesus’ name.
