For just about all of us, within 30 seconds to 1 minute after coming out the womb we started crying. Nowadays gentle stimulation is used but in my day the baby was slapped on the bottom. And even for a small bundle, we could raise some good decibels after a while to make our needs known.
What excitement there was when we spoke our first few words, and then our voice got louder and louder, until our parents managed to quiet us down. We then knew we can control the volume, and only screamed when we didn’t get our way. By the time we are teenagers we want to listen to the latest pop star with the volume on the television turned right up! Now on public transport I hear music coming out of earphones from a portable player, and know it must be blasting sound in the ear of the owner.
As we get to our senior years, we enjoy quietness much more and don’t go to places where we can’t hear ourselves think, like church with the worship band, or any large group of people really. What brought all this talk on? Christian television the other night had a worship team complete with drums, saxophone, guitars, piano and electronic organ singing an upbeat version of the grand old hymn “Blessed Quietness.” Talk about an oxymoron!
Written in 1897 by Manie Ferguson, the chorus lyrics are:
Blessed quietness, holy quietness,
Blest assurance in my soul!
On the stormy sea, Jesus speaks to me,
And the billows cease to roll.
Actually God speaks in favor of quietness several times in His Word. “The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools” (Eccl. 9:17). Two amens to that one! “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). “And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places” (Isaiah 32:17-18). “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
Yes, there is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:7), a time to praise God and a time to be quiet in His presence. “Blessed quietness, holy quietness!”
In his amazing book, New Creation Realities, E.W. Kenyon writes about how the present evils of liquor and prostitution… and girls at every bar distract the believer from the greatness of his/her position as a son of God, disarming them . It seems today that with these things so much more accepted than in Kenyon’s day folks have actually become desensitized to them. But a more subtle, and seemlngly less evil has crept in to replace it… Noise! It is everywhere, and with it the relentless cries to “Buy this” or “Buy that!” Anything to get our focus on what will delight our senses. But is this the cry that needs our attention? No. Turning aside, we realize that we have the spirit of the gentle Christ in us, and that the sound of the master’s voice is not yelling, but softly reassuring us of his love. It is not the sound of his voice in the roar of the thunder but in the stillness he speaks. It has been said that we should “cultivate quiet seas”, and that makes sense because it is in those moments of quietness within that we find the greatest answers to prayer and enjoy the powerful intimacy with our wonderful father. Turn down the volume in your mind, or better yet, change the channel! And tune in to the Lord where the message is not about lack or need, or greed, but a message of completeness and, contentment!