Silence Stolen
Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; And uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen. (Psalm 51)
Read: Mark 6:30–46
Think about It: It is a part of our national ethos that we are a busy people. A great number of people who would call themselves committed Christians would also admit that they have very little time to pray. And the whole idea of having some times of silence? Well, that’s just too difficult to even imagine.
Apparently, the disciples had the same problem! We probably don’t often think of them as “busy” but according to this reading, they were too busy to even sit down and eat. Jesus admonishes them, “‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” In order for them to gain that space, where does Jesus suggest they go? By themselves to a desolate place; somewhere away from the crowds, the bustle and the busyness. The word that grabs our attention in that passage is “desolate”. That word infers somewhere isolated from the activities of the world. It speaks to a quiet place that doesn’t have a great deal of outside stimulation. In most cases, it is probably a negative word, but here that isn’t the case. It is a desirable place to be for the harried disciples. While most English translations use the word “desolate” here, the Greek word actually has a broader meaning more aptly described as solitary or secluded. Jesus encourages the disciples to go somewhere they can experience a little silence for in silence there is rest.
It sounds like a good idea, right? Get away from the craziness of everyday life for a time. But even given the chance to do that, we fill up the space with noise. People are plugged in to iPods, TVs, radio, non-stop conversation . . . anything to fill the void that we feel when surrounded by silence. Many have had the ability to appreciate silence trained right out of them. When confronted with the quiet our own issues suddenly rise to the surface and we are in that uncomfortable position of having to deal with them, or dive back into the noise. Generally, we choose the noise because it’s easier.
The discipline of silence is the hardest of the disciplines to master while being the easiest to create. It requires nothing external, which is the easy part. It requires fortitude internally – that’s the hard part. Just finding a place that is silent can be a challenge for many of us. Bringing quiet to our own minds is a struggle, especially if you are someone who is constantly on the move. But Jesus declares its importance and so we practice the disciple of silence / solitude at great blessing in our walk with Him.
Prayer: Dear Lord God, I know that sometimes my life seems out of control. I know that I don’t take the time to listen to You in the silence of my own heart. Forgive me for allowing my time to eaten up by things that don’t matter rather than giving just a little of it to You. Help me to pursue a time of silence so that I can hear Your voice. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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