By Van Yandell
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Sometimes we just need to be alone. But are we ever really alone? Within our minds there is always clutter that involves people, noise and confusion. However, we have a choice. With whom do we choose to be alone?
To be alone with our spiritual entity (God) opens an entire realm for our consciousness. A spiritual “alone” is not really alone. The Bible teaches we are spiritual beings (Matthew 3:11, Acts 19:2-6, 1 Corinthians 6:19).
Because of this spiritual existence, we have a place of retreat many are not aware of and have not yet entered into.
Many believe the most beautiful song ever written and recorded was “The Sound of Silence.” Simon and Garfunkel recorded this unique melody and lyrics in 1964.
To verify and reinforce Solomon’s warnings and prophesies in Ecclesiastes, Simon’s lyrics reverberate in our ears. “Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again, because a vision softly creeping, left its seeds while I was sleeping, and the vision that was planted in my brain, still remains, within the sound of silence.”
Paul Simon described the purpose of his creation was to point out, “The inability of people to communicate with each other, not particularly intentionally but especially emotionally, so what you see around you are people unable to love each other.” Trying to untangle that statement may be a little difficult for most of us, but the bottom line is we are currently suffering from the same conditions as in 1964.
As Solomon would have said, “The more things change, the more things stay the same; there is nothing new under the sun.”
God has met his people in silent moments (1 Kings 19:12, 1 Samuel 3:3-4), encourages the practice of silence (Psalm 62:1, Ecclesiastes 3:7), and even retreated to find silence himself (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16).
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10) reads the sign in God’s place of peace. We can be glad because God is good. We can be still because he is active. We can rest because he is busy.
In a movie in which a person went back in time to the 1600’s a significant point was made. A statement was made by the actor, “Do you hear that?” The answer he received was, “Hear what?” “That’s the point, I’m not hearing anything: no cars, no airplanes going over, no TV or radio, nothing.”
How refreshing such a condition would be! Silence, absolute silence!” Today’s world offers nothing but noise, constant noise. It’s enough to drive us to a state of insanity.
Matthew 6:6-7 “But you, when you pray, enter into your prayer closet, and when you have shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly.”
Could Matthew be promoting the belief that silence is necessary or at least helpful when talking to our Creator? In order for many of us to clear our minds and absorb the mind of God, total silence is required. How can we listen to God with all the earthly noises blocking our hearts and minds? Could noise be a product of evil?
When thinking of a closet, we usually think of a small room where clothing is kept. Another meaning of “prayer closet” by Jesus could simply be referring to a quiet place so we can focus on Him.
I try to walk or jog a few miles at least three days each week. I really enjoy my time alone and mostly in silence. I preach sermons, pray and even at times write articles. The greatest benefit however, is being alone in the quiet of my mind.
“Speech is silver, silence is golden” is a proverb emphasizing the value of silence over speech. It possibly originated in Arabic culture, where it was heard and used as early as the ninth century. How eloquently these six words describe the preference of listening over expounding upon knowledge (Proverbs 17:28).
John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” These words of Jesus give Christians a reassurance of God listening and His desire for us to talk to Him.
Some of our most powerful moments with God are in quiet solitude. To be alone with God in silence is a great blessing and one many are missing and not aware of its influence on our hearts and souls.
We must always teach that eternal salvation is attained by a faith based belief (Ephesians 2:8) in Christ Jesus crucified (Matthew 27:35) for the remission of sin (1 John 1:9) and resurrected (Matthew 28:6).
When we come to the realization of His sacrifice for us and His love for us, only then can we sit in silence and absorb Him. Jesus said: Matthew 28:20 “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and missionary.
