Silence

Today’s Manna – Our Daily Bread
http://bible.com/116/hab.2.20.nlt
But the Lord is in his holy Temple.
Let all the earth be silent before him.

Observation
How rarely we are silent.

How rarely we are patient enough to listen for the Lord.

How often we let the noise of the distractions of this world fill our ears.

Isn’t it because we are turned towards this world? Isn’t it because we have not made God the priority in our lives?

If He is the priority, won’t we hear the birds singing outside our window and be thankful that they wake up singing His praises for us to enjoy?

If He is the priority,  won’t we encounter the challenge of a frustrated child as an opportunity for us to demonstrate patience and love and kindness in our very reaction and our example?

If He is the priority, won’t our joy and trust in Him, even in the face of challenges and trials teach us about the desires of our heart?

We face unexpected challenges daily. As we focus on becoming financially responsible, we are faced with so many things breaking around us. Vehicles, tractors, tools, etc. And when it prevents us from doing the very things that we thought would be demonstrating obedience to the Lord, it can generate a long conversation with the Lord. It can generate humility or it can generate doubt.

And isn’t there wisdom and understanding to be gained by us seeing what reaction it generates in us? Doesn’t our immediate,  initial,  true reaction – before we remember consciously the,  “Oh,  yeah,  I’m supposed to…” Doesn’t that betray our heart? 

The practiced self discipline of following the rules of proper societal or religious obligations  does not reflect a new heart of flesh walking in the Spirit if the attitude and perspective is not changed – it reflects a hardened heart under the oppression of the laws of man. Self discipline alone is no stairway to heaven. Yes,  the lack of it can indicate that we are on the broad and easy path to destruction, but it is our heart,  not our discipline that is to be examined.

And one might ask,  but how can I change my heart? And my answer is,  “You can’t. But God can.”

You see,  if we are focused on self help,  we are doomed. If we are learning all the tricks of self discipline,  but it is not Christ centered – we are just learning to tie ourselves up in slavery to the law. And yes, for those who refuse to accept God’s will and God’s truth about sin – the law is quite necessary. Because if we deny His Word is the final authority, if we deny His divine wisdom and instruction, we are the very people whom the law is written to enslave.

So rarely do we find ourselves where we should be found. Humbled at the feet of our Lord. Silent.

Call to Action
Find silence in your life today.

Be quick to listen.

Be slow to react or answer.

Remember Christ.

Guard your thoughts.

Our thoughts tell us the true intentions and desires of our hearts, whether we are yet good or bad at hiding them from the world under a veil of self discipline or a mask of self righteousness.

Listen.

Be silent.

Know that He is God.