Silence of the Lamb

"Silence." 
Silence is not something that gets much attention any more.  It certainly isn't a virtue that is valued by our culture in general.  We are a society that almost, almost, worships noise:  continuous background noise, whether it's music, TV or the internet, we go to great lengths to make sure that there is always something to hear.

Why would we ever want silence?

Silence is empty space, it is. . . .nothing.  Why value nothing?

But is  there another value to silence?

Listen to the words of Max Picard from his book The World of Silence as he writes:
"Silence is nothing merely negative; it is not the mere absence of speech.  It is a positive, a complete world in itself.  Silence has greatness simply because it is.  It is, and that is its greatness, its pure existence.  There is no beginning to silence and no end: it seems to have its origins in the time when everything was still pure Being.  It is like uncreated, everlasting Being.  When silence is present, it is as though nothing but silence had ever existed.  Where silence is, man is observed by silence.  Silence looks at man more than man looks at silence.  Man does not put silence to the test; silence puts man to the test.  One cannot imagine a world in which there is nothing but language and speech, but one can imagine a world where there is nothing but silence.  Silence contains everything within itself.  It is not waiting for anything; it is always wholly present in itself and it completely fills out the space in which it appears."

Maybe Picard illuminates one reason why silence makes us uncomfortable?  When we sit in silence, it causes me to stop and think, about life, about relationships, about my work, about me.  And I don't really like to think about me, or the serious questions of life because I can then see my weaknesses so much more clearly.

Maybe it's true that silence really does examine me, puts me to the test?  Maybe that's something I, we, need much more of.

The question that gives rise to these thoughts today is this:
"Why does it seem that God is so quiet?"

I get the impression that a person who is able to sit in silence is someone that is comfortable just being, and not having to do, do, do, or have doing being done all around them all the time.  If this is true, then it would seem that the Ultimate Being would be pretty comfortable with silence as well--content in himself, not anxious about anything, able to stop and just silently be.

And then I thought this:  if silence examines us, helps us to think more deeply about ourselves and our world, then maybe when God is silent--it is meant as a gfit!  A gift that is given by God to us in order for us to be able to discern the more important things in this life. 

Acts 8:32 says "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth."

The Silence of the Lamb---Jesus did not say anything, but was silent as he faced his own sacrificial death. . . . and his silence sent a message that has reverberated throughout human history.

If you are in a place where you are trying to hear from God; are feeling a deep need to be close to Him but it seems that He is a million miles away and is silent, maybe it's time for you to receive the silence of the Lamb as a gift.  Sit in His presence and just be there with Him.

He is waiting for you. . . .

BT