Noordegraaf’s Weblog

For: The Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

Seeking silence in a world full of a thousand voices is not easy. In our daily life we are manipulated by all sorts of voices, who will force us to do this, to buy that and so on. Our challenge is to be quiet, to be still. “Sun, stand thou still” (Josh. 10:12), “My soul, wait thou only upon God” (Ps. 62:5) is the equivalent of saying: “My soul, be silent unto the Lord; remain still in the presence of the Lord; stop what you are doing, and seek the Lord.”

Our challenge is to mute our mouths, and to hear the voice of thunder. “Wait thou only upon God“, “Rest in the Lord” (Psalm 37:7). In the words of James G. S. S. Thomson: “Stillness of heart is an important and essential factor in our waiting before the Lord in prayer” (The Praying Christ makes). Spoken words are not enough. Silent worship constitutes genuine prayer. The Prophet Habakkuk said: “The Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab. 2:20).

Another statement from author Thomson says that: “The loss of the secret of silence and stillness in worship and adoration impoverishes our devotional lives and renders ineffective much of our waiting on God in prayer“. Our minds are human, and they operate in human patterns. It is necessary for us to be quiet and still and to stop our minds from wandering all over the globe and all over the things we are engaged in if we are to properly prepare for prayer.

It is my challenge to mute my thoughts and longings, to quiet my heart, so that I can enter a place where I can truly have communion with God. In this stillness, I will examine my longings, my thoughts, my questions and my frustrations.

Silence refocuses us back to the truth. We can contemplate God, remember His promises, look into His face, reflect upon His splendour, His majesty. Let our souls be prepared for true communion with Him. Let God do the talking.