The Other Side of Silence

1 Kings 19:1-18

George Elliot in her novel Middlemarch wrote “If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel’s heartbeat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence.” I love this! “On the other side of silence! What lies on the other side of silence? The still small voice of God!!!

We live in a very busy and loud culture today one of which we have become very comfortable. We will turn on our radios, phone, or tv’s and not necessarily pay attention because we crave noise. If we are in a group of people having dinner and no one speaks for a few moments we began to feel uncomfortable and strike up a meaningless conversation just for the sake of noise. Our high tech world has spoiled us into thinking that we need meditation apps on our phone that gives us the sounds of a small stream, birds chirping, or waves crashing on the ocean shore. Why is this? It’s because we are uncomfortable with silence. A famous rock band in the 1980’s said in one of their songs that “Silence is so loud.”

But according to Elliot there is the other side of silence. Elijah experienced this. He is on the run for his life and he has become depressed, discouraged, and discontent. He is tired and feels like a failure and would much rather sit in the darkness, wishing for his own death. But what drew him out of the cave? Noise! Their was a strong wind, an earthquake, and a fire. “But the Lord was not in the wind…earthquake…or fire.” Once Elijah figure out that God was not in the noise their was a brief moment of silence. It was them that he figured out that there was another side of silence. What lies on the other side is the still small voice of God’s spirit. What Elijah heard from that voice was that his life was meaningful and that he had a purpose for his being.

I don’t think I have ever heard grass growing or a squirrels heartbeat. But I am thankful that I have heard God’s voice. Have you heard his voice? How do we get to the other side of noise. We cross the bridge of Psalms 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” When we sit still and listen that’s when God’s lips start moving and we have arrived at the other side of silence.

Pastor Robby