Inspired by the author, Ann Voscamp ( "A Thousand Gifts"), as well as Scripture, a friend from a group I fellowship with on a regular basis posts a prompt for every day in the
month of November for us to reflect on this time of the year.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 “ Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Here is today's prompt: Name three gifts found in silence. The
three things below were my response.
The flutter of a
butterfly wing. The Holy Spirit’s direction. Silence in and of itself.
Thought I’d write
more on my blog today.
Have you ever
heard it? A butterfly wing—the movement of air and delicate powdery wings
overhead? When I sit alongside my butterfly garden, especially in the spring
when there are frequently more than one butterfly, I can hear it. It is a sound
of freedom, of rebirth, of meeting a goal, a purposeful fulfillment of the master plan in do diligence of a greater will, magnificent metamorphic creation!
Sometimes the Holy
Spirit’s voice is very obvious and loud and we celebrate in corporate worship
and song. But, sometimes, the voice of the Spirit is gentle in our quiet hearts, in our pleading and privileged prayers or in between the lines of God’s Word—a personal
revealing direction to go ahead or most of the time, to wait and to trust. There
is a strength that comes from this silence. Trusting in Him has its own sound; it
is a sigh, a release of anxiety, a movement of debris so we can sit comfortably
under the Rock, shut the doors of the Fortress from the world’s thoughts and
ideas minus a sovereign God.
Sometimes, silence is a lonely feeling. One can miss the noise of a loved one gone, or working from home instead of the office, or just when there are no words to justify a wrong action or deep hurt. But silence can bring a reflection, an insight we may not have heard in the world’s rumble and continued banter of perceived truth. Silence in itself is a gift, because it is just that--noticed. We can use our other senses to take in more—stand in awe at the sight of God’s beauty in Creation, appreciate more of the tangible gifts we use every day and blessed by, that we can touch and share with others-- a soft cheek of a toddler, the pie dough coming together in our palms, the ding of a notification from a friend who shares how your story led them to see… hear God in a new way. We can taste the satisfaction, the swallowing and digesting of God’s Holy Plan and most importantly, the fullness in submission, the surrender to that plan in trust. The air around us fills our lungs and we breathe and smell the difference between what is rotten and what is righteous.
Gifts in silence
are not silent.
They are loud
explosions of love in our hearts that God is Good and that He loves us in our
loud messy days and in our quiet humble moments. In silence is where are
strength is increased.
Psalm 62:5-6 "My soul, wait in silence for
God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my
stronghold; I shall not be shaken."
And isn’t it just like
God to grant me grace upon amazing grace as I finish these last few words, that
my stereo is now playing a classic Christmas song by Bing Crosby, “Silent
Night.”
Gifts in silence
are Holy. Oh, Hear His Voice in the
silence of your own soul my friends. It is a beautiful moment going into all of eternity.
All is calm, all
is bright.
