Lenten Word 21: Quiet

As I write this the hum of the hotel's air conditioner is the loudest thing in the room. I like to write in quiet thus my getting up early to seek to connect with God in prayer, reflection, reading, and quiet. Quiet is a place that invites in thoughts from God. I'm not the young college student that could study, write, and prepare for exams with the, and here I'm dating myself with this word, stereo blasting away. It could have been my roommate's stereo or the one next door - no bother for me, I had a job to do and that was to be a good student, and thank God that's what I was. Now I seek the quiet when I need to prepare and write something as important as a thought or word from God.

I looked for the word quiet in the Bible. In the King James Version most of the Old Testament uses of quiet were instances where someone sought to murder another so they had to be quiet. The New Testament in New Revised Standard used the word quiet as call to stop yelling. Our Lenten Journey should have its quiet moments. Jesus sought places to be alone, away from the crowds and we assume that it was to find a quiet place in which to pray and listen for God.

Ours is a noisy world, made so by our own choices at times, turning on the tv or iPod/iPhone with our ear buds placed in; but we need some time daily to seek the quiet to seek God. Let it be so.

PRAYER: Loving God, speak to me in the quiet but also in the noisy. Let me not be distracted, let me seek You. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.