A couple of weeks ago I met my Stubborn Nefew’s Mother at Mc D’s for lunch, you know to let the kids the kids play (read that, we needed a BREAK!). But while we were there my other nephew (we’ll call him O) had his iPod on. You know, the cool style, ear bud in one ear, attached to the iPod in his pocket.
So the thought hit me. Our society is so LOUD! Sorry.
Why is there music playing in every store, restaurant, doctor’s office, etc? Why can’t we just be quiet? And now we have iPods. Don’t get me wrong, I have an iPod, I love my iPod, I use my iPod as part of school. Very useful things. But, do we ever take time to be quiet?
Take in these statistics….
20% of children ages 2 and under have a TV in their bedroom. Huh?
43% of 3-4 year olds and school-aged children have TVs in their bedroom.
68% of teens have TVs in their bedrooms.
And while I couldn’t find a percentage, I know only 1 family personally that does not have a TV in their master bedroom….hmmm.. And I will confess, I am one of them. I usually fall asleep to the sound of PBS or Emergency!
When do we take the time to be quiet? In our day and time we have to make an effort to be quiet. Especially those of us with four (or more) children!
So, let’s see what the Bible has to say about being quiet…
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord.
And then we have this verse….
Numbers 9:8
And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”
Which brings me to another point about being still, waiting. Moses prayed and waited, he was still, to hear what the Lord would have to say. We need to have a time of stillness and waiting, and listening after we pray…
Psalm 40:1-2
I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me; And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.
The Psalmist waited, patiently, and the Lord heard his cry. I know the the Lord wants us to pray and seek His face, but I also think that He wants us to take a few minutes to wait, and be still and listen for His response. Not an audible one, but that stirring in our heart, in our soul, when you know it’s the Lord. Why do I think that? Isaiah 30:18 says…
Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
I believe that this verse is telling us that the Lord wants us to wait and be quiet before Him, and that sometimes He waits to see if we are going to wait before He gives His answer.
So, how quiet is your life? Do you take time to be still, and wait on the Lord, especially after a time of prayer? I know that my life definitely needs to have the volume turned down!
I must be one of those families…no TV in the MB! :)
Yep, you are the ONE!
with even good noise it is hard to hear his small still voice. First thing in the morning before anyone is up and befoe phones begin to ring is my planned time to spend talking and listening to what he has to say. From one without a TV in the bedroom.
Sometimes being silent isn’t enough…we have to be STILL :) The silence around us isn’t always received as silence in our heads….thoughts that bombard us, planning the next activity, replaying the last conversation….like “white noise” between our ears…
From ANOTHER one w/o a TV! LOL….