October 20

Creating Silence in our Private Worlds

The Christmas story is probably the most famous story in the Bible. The birth of Jesus changed everything in the universe. So who were the people invited to the birthday party of the King of Kings? It would be good for us to understand who was invited and why they were invited.
Obviously Mary was invited. She was invited because as a teenage girl she had an awesome faith. When informed that she was selected above all the young women of the earth to carry the infant king, she replied, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.” Wow, that is an incredible step of faith.
Joseph was also invited because he put his faith into practice. When he awoke from his dream he simply did exactly what God had instructed him. Maybe he was the first man to ever read the directions and then follow them.
The shepherds and the magi were invited because they weren’t too busy. From the Matthew account we find that everyone in Jerusalem knew where the birthday party was being thrown, yet it is only the shepherds and the Magi who showed up. The Magi made the 800 mile journey to the party while the people in Jerusalem couldn’t make the 5-mile journey. I can’t wait to hear the excuses the residents of Jerusalem will give on the judgment day for not showing up. What are your excuses for not showing up at the party thrown each Sunday for Jesus?
Simeon was at the party. He is described as a man who was righteous and devout. He was also “waiting” for God. “Waiting” is something I struggle with, yet this guy gets a ticket to the party because he has perfected it.
And finally there was Anna the prophetess, a woman who spent her lifetime worshiping, fasting and praying, a woman comfortable with “silence.” If CNN were to interview her, I wonder what they would say. This is my guess at their headlines, “84 year old woman has wasted her life.” Her lifestyle couldn’t be more opposite than life in Fairfield County in 2010, yet she was invited to the party.

Our culture does not like “silent nights” or days. Ever have a conversation with someone and run out of things to talk about? You talk about awkward. We live in a culture where every moment of every day has to be filled with noise. Our days are filled with text messages, Twitter, CNN, MP3s, movies, digital TV, cell phones, news radio, Sports Center, Mike Franseca, honking horns and nagging bosses. Every day our ears are assaulted with a 1000 cacophonous sounds, yet God said, “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) If you are like me, you have heard this verse many times. But take a closer look at it; God is speaking—so we ought to listen. Being still and knowing Him go together. We cannot have an intimate knowledge of God without being still and turning off the noise.

I am struggling at becoming more like Anna. My performance-oriented personality tells me that silence isn’t productive; it can be mistaken as wasting time. People who practice silence are mistaken for lazy people all the time. The culture says that busy people are important people. We tend to think that activity equates significance. So if our calendars are filled up, we must be important. It is clear that God is not impressed with busy lives. God is interested in people who have eliminated the cultural noise and value listening to His voice. Those were the people who were invited to the first birthday party of the King.

So today go for a silent walk with the King. He is no longer an infant King. Just make sure on this walk you don’t take your Ipod. Just take your open heart and open ears to listen to his silent whisper.