Sound of Silence

Sometimes it seems all we can ask is:

"Does anyone know what God is doing?"
Seems that question has been asked before--
and the answer has been provided as well.

"The unspiritual self, by nature, 

can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. 

There’s no capacity for them. 

They seem like so much silliness. 

Spirit can be known only by spirit—

God’s Spirit and ours in open communion. 

Spiritually alive, we have access 

to everything God’s Spirit is doing. 

Isaiah’s question, 'Is there anyone

who knows what God is doing?' 

has been answered: 

Christ knows, and we have His Spirit,

we have the mind of Christ." 

1 Cor 2:14-16, The Message

There are seasons when God pulls up

things that have been familiar 

and comfortable to us.

They can be good things or

not so good things, but we know

how to do life with them.

He comes along and kicks up a little dust.

We look around and find that 

things are not the way they were.

Many of us are in a season where

things which were life to us

have been torn down.

As uncomfortable as it is, 

this is a season in which 

things are being made new.

And we can't "keep on keeping on"

because some of the things 

are no longer there to keep on with.

It is a season where we must 

intentionally step out of routine,

refusing to move on to the next thing.

We must sit down and listen.

The question is no longer:

"Is there anyone around who knows

what God is doing?"

The question is now:

"God, would You tell me 

what You are doing?"

Because Christ knows and

we have the mind of Christ.

The Holy Spirit came that

we would have His Spirit alive in us.

In this tear down season, He is tearing down

false ideas and false images that

keep us unspiritual and immature.

Some of these may have been 

acceptable in one season, but

He is asking us to know Him more.

Some ideas and images were built

on foundations of fear and world systems 

that did not look or sound like the One

who came to reveal our Father.

He wants us to walk in His fullness, 

incarnating His image so that we can

re-present Him to a world that has

for too long heard false ideas 

and seen false images.

In this ever paradoxical Kingdom,

we must go up to go deep.

We have to plunge the depths of silence

that we might hear deep calling to deep.

"Spirit can be known only by spirit—

God’s Spirit and ours in open communion. 

Spiritually alive, we have access 

to everything God’s Spirit is doing."

Inner rivers of grace flow and

only the quiet heart can hear them

and be refreshed in them.

Most times, I would rather God tell me

to run up an obstacle-strewn mountain

than sit quietly and do nothing.

I have to train my ears to listen

for a sound rather than a word.

A word can drive me;

a sound can settle me.

A time for building up will come

with words that give direction and purpose.

At this time, however, I am intent on

listening for the sound of silence.





Image: DavidLarkin/instagram