Waiting in Silence
This beautiful excerpt comes from Proclaiming the Good News of God's Peace, Advent Devotions 2008, produced by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Foundation. It is a little booklet I picked up when I walked the labyrinth at the beginning of this month...
"Advent is a time of preparation. Typically this means an ever-expanding to-do list, frenzied activities, eating, and drinking well but not wisely, and arriving at Christmas utterly exhausted. The psalmist suggests another way to prepare:
Our silence can be passive, such as when we place ourselves in a safe setting...and invite God to speak to us and touch us. Working through our waiting and stillness, God then uses our passive silence for healing and discernment.
Our silence can also be active, such as in those times when we focus our energies on listening to others and understanding what they have to say...
Passive and active silence, when practiced together, become potent peacemaking instruments and provide a powerful antidote to fatigue, anger, abuse, and violence. Indeed, waiting in silence may be one of the most underutilized peacemaking tools of all.
It's never too late to wait in silence!
Prayer
Gracious God, as the days of Advent rush by, slow us down. Teach us how to wait patiently for you in silence. Transformed by your presence in our hearts, may we practice active silence with one another. Amen..."
This season always calls me into greater silence and solitude. It is there where we are invited to commune more deeply with the Divine - however we envision that power and essence to be.
One of the songs I have been listening to, is a wonderful new song by Amy Grant, which speaks of the frenzy of this time of year, and slowing down and realizing what is ultimately important. Here is the chorus:
I am humbled by the wide readership of this blog and the many beautiful emails I receive. This is my hope and blessing for you and yours - no matter what your spiritual background may be - at this time that is sacred to many traditions:
"For God alone my soul waits in silence." (Psalm 62:1)
"Advent is a time of preparation. Typically this means an ever-expanding to-do list, frenzied activities, eating, and drinking well but not wisely, and arriving at Christmas utterly exhausted. The psalmist suggests another way to prepare:
'For God alone my soul waits...in silence.'
Our silence can be passive, such as when we place ourselves in a safe setting...and invite God to speak to us and touch us. Working through our waiting and stillness, God then uses our passive silence for healing and discernment.
Our silence can also be active, such as in those times when we focus our energies on listening to others and understanding what they have to say...
Passive and active silence, when practiced together, become potent peacemaking instruments and provide a powerful antidote to fatigue, anger, abuse, and violence. Indeed, waiting in silence may be one of the most underutilized peacemaking tools of all.
It's never too late to wait in silence!
Prayer
Gracious God, as the days of Advent rush by, slow us down. Teach us how to wait patiently for you in silence. Transformed by your presence in our hearts, may we practice active silence with one another. Amen..."
This season always calls me into greater silence and solitude. It is there where we are invited to commune more deeply with the Divine - however we envision that power and essence to be.
One of the songs I have been listening to, is a wonderful new song by Amy Grant, which speaks of the frenzy of this time of year, and slowing down and realizing what is ultimately important. Here is the chorus:
I Need a Silent Night
"I need a silent night
A holy night
to hear the angel voices
through the chaos and the noise.
I need a silent night
a little peace right here
to end this crazy day
with a silent night."
A holy night
to hear the angel voices
through the chaos and the noise.
I need a silent night
a little peace right here
to end this crazy day
with a silent night."
I am humbled by the wide readership of this blog and the many beautiful emails I receive. This is my hope and blessing for you and yours - no matter what your spiritual background may be - at this time that is sacred to many traditions:
May the silent softness
of this sacred season
and the many gifts it brings,
be yours, now and always.
of this sacred season
and the many gifts it brings,
be yours, now and always.
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