Advent 5: Waiting in Silence

We continue to wait this advent season.  Today’s advent reading comes from the book of Job, chapter 33:29-33.  It reads:

“God does all these things to a person—
    twice, even three times—
³⁰ to turn them back from the pit,
    that the light of life may shine on them.

³¹ “Pay attention, Job, and listen to me;
    be silent, and I will speak.
³² If you have anything to say, answer me;
    speak up, for I want to vindicate you.
³³ But if not, then listen to me;
    be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” (NRSV)

Our church is reading Finding Bethlehem in the Midst of Bedlam, by James Moore, this advent season. Our lives fill up more and more with bedlam.  My church members define bedlam as noisy and complete chaos.  What a gift silence can be in the midst of all of that. 

 More and more through this season of life I hear God calling me to be still, wait and most recently to be silent.  This theme of silence came through this past Sunday as we looked at the story of Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father.  Zechariah had a question about how we recognize the voice of God.  Part of the answer was that Zechariah became mute.  Some people see that as a punishment for his questioning.  I don’t.  I believe that Zechariah’s silence was a gift that enabled him to have closer communication with God. 

We hear this theme of the benefit of silence here in the words in Job.  Job is one of my favorite books of the Bible.  Most people associate Job with patience.  I, however, associate Job with questions and with conversation with God.  In Job we find that it is okay to go to God with our deepest questions.  In Job we find a God that is present in the darkest moments ready to listen to our questions and respond. 

In this little portion of Job, we find a promise that God will repeatedly pursue us to help us out of the pits of life, to bring light back into our lives that have been permeated by darkness.  Listen to what he tells Job.  “Be SILENT, and I will speak.”  “Be SILENT, and I will teach you wisdom.” 

A few posts back I introduced the concept of centering prayer to you.  My uncle and another mentor have both been suggesting this practice to me for some time.  I felt called yesterday to begin this as a daily practice.  I thought it would be hard to sit in silence for 20 minutes.  I thought it would be awkward.  I lit candles in the house and darkened the house except for the candle light.  I centered myself on the word love as I filled my heart, lungs and body with breath through my nose and exhaled through my mouth; I breathed in love and I exhaled love.  Anytime a thought invaded my mind, I let it pass through and again inhaled and exhaled love.  Love turned to joy.  Joy turned to peace and when the 30 minutes ended I opened my eyes to the beauty of the candlelight surrounded me and I felt contentment.  I had clarity in that moment that living in the present was the best gift I could give myself. 

Won’t you take a moment out of the bedlam of life and practice silence.  You will meet God there, I can guarantee.  In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.