silence -

I recently heard a man interviewed about his art and process and that he sometimes will spend 4-5 hours working on his craft in total silence.

No radio.

No t.v.

No other voices.

Just himself and the silence.

Purposefully!

Then he said,

“When I get to do that, I feel like the richest man!”

Silence has a way of filling us.  

We may at first fear it.  Alone with ourselves and no noise can disquiet our souls. 

Or we may think that it is an empty thing;  nothing useful, nothing going in, nothing to inform or soothe or entertain or distract.

But the truth is, silence is a salient way to clear space in our soul 

and when there is space, there can be a filling.

Empty spaces can hold the greatest riches.

In a small village, full inns missed the opportunity 

while a manger held the treasure of God Himself in it’s empty, waiting arms.

The racket and noise in a bustling city had no ears for the angelic proclamations of Good News

while silent skies over grassy hillsides brimmed with heavenly music and joy-filled hallelujahs.

A new year is coming upon us quickly, only ticks away on a speeding clock and I wonder, will I crowd it with cheap imitations of what my heart desires?  

What plans am I building that will occupy chambers best left empty to cherish gifts given in silence? 

Time filled with noise can be as distracting as time filled with activities.

My heart, full of other loves, cannot hold as much love that God would pour in. 

My calendar occupied to capacity leaves no space for encounters with God, 

and my ears saturated with sound may miss whispering overtures of Divine love and revelations.

As we turn towards 2020, let’s consider where we can create space for silence.

Capacity for quietness.

Room for riches.

Gifts given in silence that will fill us to the full and replace fears with peace. 

How do you think you may create room for silence this year?