In Silence
Read Luke 1:57-66
Zechariah had been silent since before Elizabeth conceived John. In his silence, he communicated with gestures and writing tablets for most of a year. What is there to learn from his time of forced silence? In our daily lives, we may not always be speaking, but we are always communicating. Cell phones, emails, social media, TV, radio, etc. are all constantly bombarding us with communications. When do we have time to wait in silence for the Lord? When do we have time to sit silently and see how God is at work in our world? Perhaps we should see this time of Advent (arguably one of the most commercialized and ad-heavy times of year) as a chance to discipline ourselves to quietly look for God at work in our world.
Take time today, and during the rest of the Advent season, to set yourself apart from the ‘noise’ of the world and your daily life. Take time to sit and look for God at work. Perhaps you will find it in a memory or realization of something that is happening in the world around you. Perhaps you will find it in a passage of Scripture. Perhaps during a time of prayer your heart moves closer to God and something within you changes. Perhaps you will not find it today but will have to wait patiently. Remember, we are still patiently waiting for the return of Christ after so many years. In the meantime, the Holy Spirit is with us, working in the world. So be patient, be silent, and perhaps you will discover something so great that you will not be able to stay silent any longer.
Weston Pendergrass
God of Advent, kindle within us the flame of hope. Help us be your beacons of hope for people and places weighed down by hopelessness. As we enter with you into this Advent journey, help us to be your mind, heart, and hands in the world. For we pray in your name. Amen.
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