Silence

My three children have been at their grandparents back in KC all week. For my wife and me it’s a very strange feeling around the house… quiet... It has taken me a couple of days to grow accustom to the change. For a while the quite was so prevalent, so ‘loud’ that it distracted me. I’m used to chatter, interruptions, noise, things flying, etc… and not just because of the kids. I can’t blame it all on them; it’s how I’ve been ‘programmed’ in this society. (And probably you as well.) It has led to a great many of us to warm up to cold, short attention spans. This causes some complications when we gather to worship each week. As the spiritual environmentalist at my church what am I to do with people who want to get in and out, to get “The Word”, and then get to lunch, to do worship as if they were checking off the grocery list? Then again what am I to do with myself because sometimes I’m just as bad as they are? Because here’s the truth: Sometimes God doesn’t answer back real quick like. Sometimes it takes a while. Sometimes he doesn’t even answer. Sometimes His silence is the answer. There is a book by Barbara Brown Taylor that pretty much should be required reading for every believer in North America called “When God is Silent”. Taylor says, “Too often, I believe, preachers get into the business of giving answers instead of ushering people into the presence of the God who may or may not answer.” Well, I guess I shouldn’t say much after that quote. Peace, Jonathan