The Need For Silence

In Luke 8: 5-15, Jesus gives us the parable of seed cast upon different surfaces and likens that seed - "for those who can hear" - to the Word of God.

Now, as in Jesus' time, many cannot hear.

The Word falls upon those who are not listening.

It falls on people with minds as stubborn as rocks who refuse to try anything different.

The Word enters the ears of people who get excited for a while but find it takes effort to get the harvest and give up before the roots of new consciousness have taken hold.

And The Word of God also falls on many whose minds "are choked with cares, riches and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity," at least not the fruit God wishes us to grow which is love.

It is uncanny how well these words fit us, today.

Our lives are so full of cares, riches, the pleasure of life. We do not bring God's fruit - love and peace - to maturity. There is so much stimuli filling our brains and nervous systems that it is small wonder our culture has spawned "chronic fatigue syndrome."

Think of it.

The signs, the media; so many plucking at our sleeves to buy this and that, look at this and that, believe this and that.

There is so much we are "supposed" to be aware of in our modern culture, most of it pretty trivial when we get down to it.

In the midst of it all, it is difficult to just stop and try to listen to God and let the seeds of the Holy Spirit - of love and peace - grow within us.

If you find yourself just wanting to stop and take time out to get away from the noise and demands, do it.

Go lie under a tree on the grass. Pretend you're a kid again with nothing to do. Or go to the beach and watch the water. Or take a walk in a forest.

Feel the peace that silence brings.

We need time alone - time in silence - to hear the one really important voice in our lives: God.

May God help you create time in which to really relax - and be with Him - today.