We get up and turn on the TV.
We multi task as we fix breakfast for our kids, fix lunches, get ready for work, get everybody out the door.
The car is filled with noise: the children’s voices, the radio, traffic sounds.
We get back home. Or we get to work.
Phones ring, associates request this or that, emails need attending to.
We work through lunch. Or we sit in a lunch room filled with people’s voices.
On our way home, we stop off at the mall to pick up that perfect gift. Loud music fills the stores.
Same thing at the grocery store where we make our last stop for a few ingredients for supper.
We talk on our cell phones on the way home.
We pick up our kids and chauffeur them to their after- school activities.
Then home to make dinner.
We talk on the cell phone to our girlfriend as we throw dinner into the microwave. We try to shut out the voices of our children as they squabble about which program they’ll watch on TV. The radio is on. The TV is on.
Noise.
Just writing this post has made my blood pressure go up. My children are grown now, but I remember well how my house felt like Grand Central Station during the day.
Noisy.
Unless we deliberately turn off the noise, it will continue.
Too much noise makes us sick. Because we can’t hear God. We shut out his voice.
We talk to God…or more accurately, we talk at God. Because it’s to noisy to hear Him when He talks back.
We shut out our own thoughts, too. Those thoughts nudge us to self-examine, or to examine the direction of our lives.
Can you turn everything off for one hour each day? No cell phones, no texting, no IPad, no radio, no ear-phones, no TV.
Just quiet. Not just for you, but for everyone in the house.
A vow of silence. While you rest your ears and refresh your soul.
All by yourself. For just one hour.
You’ll feel better.
“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowd. After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside BY HIMSELF to pray.” (Matt. 14: 22, 23 NIV Bible)
Thanks for your blog today…great reminder to desire that special time with the LORD. I want to make that time every day. Even in “retirement” things pop up to put “that time” on a back burner. But I always take time to brush my teeth and comb my hair, shower, etc. Why isn’t this TIME in quietness before my Creator God as important as that?
Appreciate your insights …. Annie
Annie, I appreciate your comments. The urgent always seems to nudge out the truly important unless we deliberately make the time for quietness with God. Today I took my own advice and stayed quiet. Sure enough, The Lord spoke through the Bible passage I’d just read. Love it!
As I read your post, I’m nodding my head. It’s why I take some precious time – and it is precious – and give it to my Lord each day. No matter how crazy/busy my daily activities become, an underlying peace prevails.
Susan, I believe it was Martin Luther who said, (this is a paraphrase) “my day ahead is very busy, therefore I need to spend more time is prayer this morning.” Thanks for your wise comment.