Silence

January 10, 2016January 6, 2017 / Being Woven / Leave a comment

For God alone my soul waits in silence;… Psalm 62:1a

Silence
Still
Quiet

Falling Snow

Mourning Doves’ cooing

Hush
Peace

Recalling my mother’s delight

Stillness, silence allows thoughts to surface
to flow
love felt
peace envelop
joy encircle

The gifts of life have a chance to permeate
to exude

Silence often begins with seeing and hearing the world around me

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Revelation 8:1

Quietude
Stillness
Wordless
Peacefulness
Tranquility
Feeling the tenderness of His Love upon my heart
Words of His Word soak in,
drawing meaning of what He means

His silence teaches me that I am to be silent

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

The LORD’s silence is not of this world.
The world demands noise, talk, loudness, busy-ness,
too much going IN
with nothing of substance able to go OUT
too much world going IN
not enough of Him going IN
and nothing of Him going OUT

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; … Ecclesiastes 3:7b

Time, moments with Him in silence …
necessary … in relationship.
Go with Him to pray
Be with Him to learn
Look at Him to reflect
Quietly, still, in silence
and I slow down whether the world around me does or not.

But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him. Habakkuk 2:20

Father God, Your beauty surrounds me in the stillness, in the white. The gentle touch, as of an angel’s wing, glides across my face, reminding me that You are here. Father, I sense Your love in the silence, Your peace in the stillness. How I love the breath of air in the silent, in this cold air. It gives me hope, calm. My breath is Your breath for You first breathed in me to give me life. You first loved me to teach me love. You are my first Love. In this quiet, I sense You and know that You are near. I draw near to You for Your Presence is so real, so lovely this day. Your touch tenderly caresses my face, yet is silent. Oh, how I love You, my LORD. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

beblacksig

Re-post with changes, additions, deletions

Photo: https://pixabay.com/en/winter-nature-season-trees-sky-20248/ by Larisa-K/Russia

His Voice

May 7, 2013July 23, 2014 / Being Woven / Leave a comment

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by,

and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD,

but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake,

but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire,

but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

I Kings 19:11-12

I am in a contemplative mood this day.

I listen.

I wait.

I want to hear but do not try too hard.

The desire of my heart is just to hear Him.

STILL …

… quiet

… motionless

… calm

… placid

… tranquil

SMALL …

… tiny

… little

… minuscule

… unpretentious

VOICE …

… God’s

… powerful

… strong

… full

… flows

I am in a quiet place, a still place, both in my heart and in my soul, even in my mind for now.

His Voice soothes me. Tender whisperings, gentle stillness, calm breezes touch me. He calls me to be still so that I may know Him, to know that He is God. Is it possible to know Him with just this still, this small voice?

He is God and I am His sheep. He says His sheep will know His voice no matter what the voice sounds like.

“To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” John 10:3-4

Yes, I can hear Him no matter what His voice is when I am still and obedient.

Then I can be woven.

photo: Advent Christian Book Store – The Shop on Tywyn High Street, Wales – http://adventwales.co.uk/

Up on the Rooftop

August 22, 2012July 24, 2014 / Being Woven / Leave a comment

Have you ever sat up in a tree or on a rooftop where no one could see you, yet you could see the world from this special bird’s-eye view? Have you been up there watching the world go by in ways that made you a little dizzy, the pace was far too fast for this moment…high and hidden? Have you pondered the idea of staying put in this place and living quietly to yourself?

I have!

When I was a little girl, I would climb up into a large tree on the corner when no one was around to see me shimmy up that big trunk. I would play alone in a world of make-believe sometimes. Or I would lean against a large, sturdy branch or high part of the trunk…reading a book. Or I would just be still and enjoy the sound of the crows caw-cawing….until I heard my Mommy or one of my little sisters calling my name, looking for me to come home to dinner.

As I grew to high school age, I would climb up on the rooftop of our house with a book in hand and spend a hour or two reading and out of the way of my little sisters. I just liked to be alone more often than they allowed me in the house or down on the yard. (You know those little sisters and brothers?)

In college, I would tire of the noise that surrounded me and head to Mission Beach to sit on the wall, listening to the waves pounding upon the shore. I often wrote poetry or journaled of my life, of my family, of dreams for my future, of the vastness of the ocean against the tininess of me. I spent hours just pondering. As darkness enveloped the sea, I would feel the pull of safety and go on home.

These days, I run into the arms of Jesus. I can read, play make-believe, watch the world go by, listen to the birds, ponder Scripture, pray, just anything my heart desires. I feel alone, yet surrounded by the love of God. That cleft of the Rock is where I long to be. That little girl, that high school youth, that college girl, all curl up with this adult that is me into the cradle of my LORD. He lets me be quiet or lets me cry or lets me laugh. He knows my heart. He knows me inside-out. We sit together whenever I go to Him. He is always there…no doubt in my mind for He is waiting.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7 ESV)

He is the Vine that supports me as I lean upon Him.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
(John 15:4-5 ESV)

He is the Light that keeps the fear away.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12 ESV)

He is the One, the Only One, Who truly gives rest.

For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
(Isaiah 30:15 ESV)

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
       and he delivered them from their distress.
   He made the storm be still,
       and the waves of the sea were hushed.
   Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
       and he brought them to their desired haven.
   Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
       for his wondrous works to the children of man!
   Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
       and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
(Psalm 107:28-32 ESV)

“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
(Psalm 46:10 ESV)

In quietness and rest, I sit with my Jesus upon the rooftop. In returning and trust, I am a child of God.

Thank You, LORD, for this day, for this calm and quiet in my life amidst the struggles, the pain, the angst, the toil. You are my All in All, my Holy One of Israel, my King of kings, my LORD of lords. I praise You and thank You. Amen.

Credits:

“Girl Reading in the Tree” photo – http://latefruit.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/why-read-books-if-we-cant-remember-them/

“Reading on the Roof” photo: by lanier67 Some rights reserved