Almost all of God’s creation stands silent before Him, testifying to His glory simply by being what they were created to be. The grass is content to soften the steps of those who come across it. Trees reach heavenward in unspoken majesty. Flowers erupt in brilliant color, while streams flow gently over rocks to nourish and sustain the life within them. All of this is done in virtual silence. There is no need to rail against their Creator or obnoxiously draw attention to themselves. God’s creation is simply satisfied to be what it is and to testify to a Creator that is magnificent and beyond compare or comprehension. All of creation that is, except for the humans.
Only we who are made in the image of God are so brash as to draw attention to ourselves, so arrogant that we think we deserve attention equal to that of the God of the universe. Rocks don’t ever think of themselves; mountains – despite their majesty – are unconcerned with what others think of them. But man is self-absorbed and consumed with his own sense of self-importance. We are rarely quiet and when we are, it is usually not for very long. At times it seems our sole purpose is to draw attention to ourselves. We spend our days consumed with thoughts about us, making plans that benefit us, determining how we might succeed more than someone else. We are loud, and it is all about us.
Perhaps there is something to learn from the silence of God’s creation. What does the rest of His created order understand that we do not?
- There is beauty in silence – notice how a deer stopping for a drink of water makes you catch your breath and stare in awe.
- There is peace in silence – God’s creation does not exhibit stress; it simply is content to be.
- There is praise in silence – Jesus said that if people would cease making noise, they would hear the rest of creation crying out in honor of His glory (Luke 19:37-40).
When was the last time you took a break from yourself and simply sat quietly before the Lord? A great practice is to spend the first fifteen minutes of your day just sitting and listening. Don’t think, but rather just observe the thoughts that cross your brain. Ask God to speak to you, and then be still. Don’t use this as a time to ask God for things or even talk to Him about what’s going on in your life. Be quiet and take in the enormity of the silence around you. I keep a journal on my lap to jot down random thoughts as they occur so I can deal with them later. This time is simply for being still.
It is not easy to sit in silence. It is uncomfortable because we have conditioned ourselves to be busy and noisy. We think that if we are not doing something then we are wasting time. Just being – not doing – is wonderfully therapeutic. We need time to rest and reflect, to recharge our souls and let God speak into our lives. Take a lesson from the rest of creation. Be still and magnify Him through stillness. Recognize that only He is worthy of your contemplation. God is a God of love and a God of peace. Accept His peace, and be still.
Why is it so hard to simply be still before our Lord? Please join the conversation by leaving a comment below.