In playing my word game, the computer gave me the following letters: T-E-S-L-I-N. I saw two choices- “silent” and “listen”.
Isn’t it odd that both words have the same letters? Perhaps it isn’t a coincidence. Sometimes, to truly listen, and not just hear, we need to be silent.
How often do we echo King David’s request: Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea (Psalm 55:1)? I think if we are honest, we’d admit that a majority of our prayer time is asking God to listen to our requests, our fears, our questions.
How often, though, do we commune on our beds and be silent (Psalm 4:4)? How often do we stop talking and let God answer? Do we expect an answer? Or are we just venting?
What if we began our prayer time in silence? Closed our ears and eyes from the distractions of our world and truly listened. Would we hear His still, small voice pierce our souls more often? Would a sense of peace infiltrate our brains? And would our prayer then change?
And what if we practised it more often with each other? Instead of formulating our response, we emptied our minds to truly comprehend what the other person said. Gave them the undivided attention we so often crave but do not often get?
Silence can bind; it doesn’t always separate.
Silent….listen. Perhaps they are two sides of the coin. And perhaps our lives would be richer if we realized that fact more often.
Where Did You Find God Today? 