Sound of Silence

I've never realized it until recently, but many of us are afraid of silence. Have you ever thought of that? For starters, have you ever seen a silent film? You see, in college I majored in Film and Media Studies, so I know a thing or two about silent films. Before sound was introduced to art of movie making, movies were silent. The only sound you'd get would be the music of a live band playing in the theater, right there, at the moment you and your friends (or date) were watching the movie! At times there was even a guy functioning as an MC who would narrate what was being seen on screen. Yet, there were times that no band and no MC were present, so everyone in the theater were literally quietly watching a silent film.

Think about that...

Can you imagine going to see 300 as a silent film?

or

Titanic?

or

Star Wars; any of the many out there?

How about while driving, can you drive without listening to your radio or a CD or iPod? I mean, I can point out many other examples, but I'm guessing that by now the point is becoming a bit clearer.

One of the reasons why I hate doctor offices or any of these type of offices is because it's so quiet! Not only that, but the person you go see - in this case the doctor - forces you to sit and wait quietly. Unless you have someone else with you, ain't no one to talk to! That's why you may find yourself taking a book with you, or reading a magazine, or listening to music from the iPod or cellphone. Or just sitting there dying of boredom, patiently waiting for someone to tell you the doctor is ready to see you... FINALLY!

So the question stands: what is it about silence that bothers us - that bothers me - so much? Just yesterday I was in my friend's car talking and we had a moment where no one was saying anything, maybe 20 seconds. Instantly, she felt uncomfortable and expressed how she didn't like the quiet. So she turned car radio on. I asked her what was so wrong with a little bit of quiet and she replied, "I don't know, I just don't like silence."

So I pose the question again: what's the deal with silence?

Imagine being in a classroom, one of those state university type classes with some crazy number, like 1500 students in one class and everyone, ALL 1500, are talking. You - #1501 - are trying to hear what your 87 year old professor is trying to say... keep that in mind, for now.

1 Kings 19

" 'Go out and stand before me on the mountain,' the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gently whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' " 1 Kings 19:11-13

Interesting.

If anyone knew about God in this passage and at that time it was the Elijah. Needless to say that he was running away from fear that what's-her-face, Jezebel, was going to kill him. No ifs or buts about it. She didn't just want to kill him for no reason.. she had her great reasons.

First, because of this so called prophet of God - you know, the Elijah guy - there was no rain nor dew for a hot minute. As a matter of fact, until he - you know, that guy - gave the word. Translation: no water = no crops = no food = famine = people dying = a nation of funky people = Jeze is upset, to say the least.

Then, Elijah challenges Jeze's crew to see whose god is the True God (chapter 18). Long story short, Elijah ends up killing all of Jeze's crew, 850 in total.

Now, you tell me, didn't she have a reason to wanna kill him?.. I'll let you answer that.

So Elijah finds himself hiding and God tells him to go wait for him on the mountain; nothing to make of that. Like a faithful and obedient servant, the prophet goes and is waiting for God to show up. Now, this is God we're talking about, you know, JEHOVAH, The Almighty...

He is one of those dudes who knows how to make an entrance. And when he does, everyone knows about it! I mean, lightning flashes and thunder rolls, and the winds blow, and the trees shake, and the waters tremble and the earth quakes... We've heard it all before. Elijah knew it all too well, since just a few days earlier had God appeared through the fire that consumed his altar and not that of Jeze's crew.

I am almost positive that Elijah had a clear sense of how God was going to appear to him on the mountain. But, boy! How wrong was he!

"...and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose". After ducking a few rocks and running wildly for his life, I imagine Elijah, thinking that God was on the mountain wondered, "Lord, what an entrance! Are you there?"

"but the Lord was not in the wind"

"After the wind there was an earthquake..." Since homeslice did not get a response the first time, he probably thought it was the weather. However, this earthquake had to be God.

"but the Lord was not in the earthquake." 1 Kings 19:11

"And after the earthquake there was a fire..." By then, Elijah probably wanted to peace-out and just go somewhere, because if God, who knows how to make an entrance was not in the wind, was not in the earthquake, then he wasn't going to show up! That thought quickly changed when he saw the fire. "Yeah! My God is HOT like fiya!" So contemplating the scene, Elijah surely yelled out, "Lord, you're hot alright! Is that you?"

"but the Lord was not in the fire." 1 Kings 19:12

"What the..." Before Elijah even finished the thought, he noticed something strange, unusual. All three events produced some loud sounds, I'm sure. And it's not like they're separated by several hours.. I mean, this was one after the other!

So why is it so still and quiet all of a sudden...?

The Amplified Bible version reads, "...and after the fire a sound of gentle stillness."

I imagine the prophet didn't even want to breathe, that's how still and quiet it was. He patiently waited to see what was going to happen next. In those seconds, minutes, hours of stillness, Elijah understood and it made sense to him.

"When Elijah heard it [the sound of a gentle stillness], he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave." 1 Kings 19:13

Check it

God did not speak through the wind, although he could have.
God did not speak through the quake, although he could have.
God did not speak through the fire, although he could have.

He spoke in the sound of a gentle stillness and instructed the prophet.

Why am I so afraid of the silence?

Elijah was going through some stuff! And it was not until he found himself alone, on the mountain, waiting for God to appear, that he received his instructions from God in the sound of a gentle stillness.

STRONG WIND + EARTHQUAKE + FIRE = the commotions of everyday life

Dude, Dudette, there is too much movement in your life - in my life. How can I possibly hear God's voice instructing me if I am constantly moving? How can you hear what your 87 year old professor is trying to say if all 1500 students don't shut it up? How can I hear him in the rumbling of the stones falling down on me or the earth quaking beneath me or the fire that surrounds me? He can certainly speak to me regardless of these things; however, he tells me

"Be still, and know that I am God!" Psalms 46:10.

We, I must "wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him." Psalms 62:1.

I will "wait patiently for the Lord. [ I will] Be brave and courageous. Yes, [I, me, this guy, the author of this entry, I will] wait patiently for the Lord." Psalms 27:14

For in the sound of a gentle stillness my God will answer me and lift this pain I hold deeply in my heart...



"It Is Well With My Soul" by Chris Rice