Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“…and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.”
NL Daily Devotion for Monday, November 4, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I’m comfortable with silence. I didn’t used to be. When a teacher would ask a question of the class and no one would answer, I would hold out as long as I could, so the other kids wouldn’t think I was a know-it-all. But eventually, I had to raise my hand. I had to keep the conversation and lesson moving. As I grew up, I was similarly uncomfortable in social situations. If there was any sort of awkward silence between people, I filled it, nattering on about whatever, and probably making an idiot of myself. Even into adulthood, I would sometimes walk away from a social engagement wondering if I had talked way too much.
If I were Elijah, I would be expecting to hear God in the whirlwind, the earthquake, the fire. And when I didn’t and was left with silence, I probably wouldn’t have known what, exactly, I was supposed to do.
Today I’m different. For one thing, I’m a far better listener. I’m comfortable leaving space for others to speak. There are still times I have to bite my tongue to keep from jumping in and talking about myself as it relates to something someone else has said. I need to remind myself that if I’m formulating my response while the other person is talking, I’m not really listening.
Elijah was listening. And the silence was an invitation to listen even more deeply. He left the cave and stepped onto the mountainside, knowing God was about to impart wisdom he simply could not miss. May we, likewise, approach God in the silence with open ears and hearts.
Does silence make me uncomfortable? How do I respond to it?
