My Noisy Mind

"Silence," wrote Wayne Oates, "is not native to my world."

It's not native to our world either. Most of us are strangers to silence.

Yet we've heard an invitation to silence spoken in hushed tones at the beginning of a worship service or written in italics on the front of a church bulletin: "Be still and know that I am God." We assume it's a gentle invitation to settle down and meet God.

Do we know where these words come from? Somewhere in the bible? Maybe the Psalms?

Psalm 46: "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." If we read the Psalm we discover this is not a quiet invitation but sharp words of command. Something a teacher might say to unruly students.

Stop talking! Shut off the noise! Turn off your cell phone! Unplug your IPod! Put your Blackberry down! Get quiet!

In plain English: 's-h-u-t u-p!'

But who likes to be told what do? We don't. We send text messages in church. "Who are you to tell me to be quiet?"

"I'm God. And you obviously have no clue what that means or you'd fall on your face, shut your mouth, and lay trembling in my presence! It's My turn to talk; it's your turn to listen. Stop your noise, listen up. You might learn something."

"I will flex my muscles and be 'exalted among the nations' and 'exalted in the earth.' Every one in every place will know who I AM. Without exception."

God demands our full attention: "Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth; he makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire." God-resistance is conquered. No one and nothing withstands His power. Evil knocked out. Peace restored. Life is centered in Him: "The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

Why can't we see this?

Could it be that our minds and souls are dulled by our noisy world? Self-generated noise. Addicted noise. Distracting noise.

Am I willing to shut the noise off?

Only when I dare to obey the Spirit's command--"Stand silent!"--will I cultivate a quiet heart that is prepared to "know that God is God!"