Shaping A Silence

One of the questions that runs like a thread through the Bible and hovers just below the surface of the Psalms is that of God’s acceptance. Whose prayer does God hear? Whose offering is received? What kind of worship does God accept? This is a profoundly human question. If God is the all-powerful Maker of the world, how do I reach him? David’s answer in Psalm 131 is threefold. Knowing that these words are written by a successful king, surrounded by the pomp and ceremony of political power and religious ritual, the three attitudes he mentions seem counter-intuitive.

The first is humility (1), which can mean: to know my place, to accept the limitations of my perspective, to know that there are things I don’t know. I come to God not on the basis of power and pride, but of humble self-awareness. To enter his presence, I leave my awards and achievements at the door. The second is stillness (2a). There is movement and activity to be stopped, and there are noises to be silenced. Unless I create a space in which to meet God, I will not meet him. This is the meaning of Sabbath: sacred space carved out from our stressful and self-focused activities. The third is trust (2b). David, the warrior-politician, chooses the unexpected image of a baby in the arms of its mother. Fed, satisfied, filled up, the child leans with total trust into the mother’s embrace. Without such trust, how can I come into God’s presence?

In the place of pride, I come humbly. In the hunger of my soul, I trust. Such is the spirituality of the poet-king. Such is his desire for the nation (3), and such is the promise of Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are weary” (Matt. 11:28).

Give thought as to how you can create greater quietness in your life. What demands of family, media, activity can be reduced? Ponder the words of Philippians 4:12-13.