Silence is sometimes a welcome friend, but can be a mortal enemy too. When I need to get away from the noise and traffic of the day I look forward to some peace and quiet. Young parents know how they long for a NAP!
But for those who have felt the pain of loneliness and loss, the silence is deafening. Familiar voices are no more heard, and the need for human-produced noise is overwhelming.
When we look on the God-side we see that silence is not uncommon. The Lord will sometimes seem to turn a deaf ear even to His own. But God's silence is not arbitrary, it is very deliberate, and intended to produce a response in us. The silence that we interpret as "God does not care" is more like "I'll answer you on my terms and in my time." Maybe we are not ready to accept what He will say!
William Barclay says that the silence in heaven for one half hour in Revelation 8:1 occurs so that Heaven can listen to the prayers of the saints as they waft upward. Imagine all heaven bending low to hear your prayers. What will they hear? Will they hear anything at all? What would you do if you had God's ear for a half hour? You already do!
Why not take one hour this week and sit alone with God- no Bible, no special thoughts or requests and just listen to Him speaking to your heart. If you make it through this solitary, silent hour you will discover some things about yourself that you never suspected.
