FMF: Silence is golden

Welcome to this week’s Five Minute Friday writing opportunity!  I’m thrilled with Kate’s word selection this week because I’ve actually been pondering much on {silence} this whole week.  So much have I been challenged by this idea of seeking silence that I committed to obtain 15 minutes of this precious commodity each day for 21 days.

I seem to not be able to do these things alone so I put the challenge out there on my Facebook page – Eyes on Jesus and Shine and I was amazed how many other people wanted to join me in seeking silence before Jesus.  #notalk #noscreens #nodistractions #november

Here’s the scripture verse – familiar to me, probably to you – which Holy Spirit began to open up from a new perspective.  Perhaps the familiarity was my problem.  “Yes, I know that story.  Of course, I’m Mary.  I love to sit quietly at Jesus’ feet – in His word…”

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:38-41

However, the longer I sat quietly at His feet pondering the truth of God’s word, memories began to play through my mind like an old reel to reel.  I could see myself in the back seat of a car – sitting between Great-grandma Becky and my brother.  My grandfather was driving and Grandma Naomi was sitting in the front passenger seat.

I don’t know where we were going or where we had been, but at some point, Grandpa Floyd grew weary of the backseat chatter.  He declared the start of “the quiet game”.  Oh man, not the quiet game!  The stakes for losing the quiet game?

The loser had to sit in the front seat between the two grandparents!

I being the firstborn, rule follower was trying very hard to be silent.  I wanted to win the game.  I refused to look at my brother who continuously tried to poke and make faces so I would laugh or tell him to stop.  That’s what little brother’s do.

I stared straight ahead.  Eyes locked on the windshield.  And then my sweet precious Great-grandma Becky, in an effort to keep my mouth busy without talking, held out a pack of Wrigley’s spearmint gum.  I was so grateful.  Yes, chew gum – don’t talk!  And then, after taking the stick of gum said, “Thank you!”

I lost…  I cried…  I had to move to the front seat and sit in between my grandparents.

This is all I remember, but somehow Holy Spirit is exposing a lie that when I have difficulty sitting totally still and want to speak out in my quiet time with Jesus, I’m doing it wrong.  Grateful for truth today…  Thankful Jesus delights in me just the way He made me.  Grateful He is healing deep places of my wounded heart to prepare me more and more for the mission He has for me to fulfill on my journey toward HOME.

Ponders:

• Would you like to join me in this challenge to choose silence with Jesus each day?
  • #notalk  #noscreens  #nodistractions  #november
  • It’s not a formula.  It’s not a punishment to sit with Jesus.  There are no losers when we choose to sit quietly with Him.
• What are your thoughts about sitting silent?  Is it a place where Holy Spirit has permission to expose some lies you’ve been believing without realizing it?
• Will you journal your experience and talk with Jesus about all He wants to teach you in the silence?
  • What golden nuggets is the Lord giving to you in the silent place?

Eyes on Jesus… you’re Shining!

~Lisa