“Listen to the silence. Listen to your life. Be present, not just think about what’s going on next week, next month.” ~Mike Dirnt
Simon and Garfunkel gave me a lot to think about when they performed their song, The Sound of Silence. It was a haunting song that, to me, invited me to reflect upon how the world was changing, some for good and some not so good. It reminded us that we live in a terribly fast-paced world and that if we do not stop from time to time to reflect upon where we have been and where we are, we will lost sight of where we need to go.
In many ways, that is precisely where we are in this part of the Easter season. It is a long season and, if we do not pause to consider where we have been, we may lose sight of the goal of the season. Pentecost Sunday is still two weeks away. If we lose our way, Pentecost will be nothing more than the last Sunday of the Easter season. It is much more than that, however.
Pentecost not only closes the Easter season, it opens us up to the reality of the Holy Spirit and to the possibilities that exist for us if we use the Gifts to the Spirit that are given to us. God is always looking for those who are willing to share their gifts. The more we share, the more God will pour into our lives.
If we lose our way, though, we will not care about sharing our gifts. We will not care that there are gifts of the Spirit. All we will care about is what we have planned for the remainder of the day and for our week ahead.
We have to look forward at all times. In order to do that, we need to look back and attempt to make sense of all that we have experienced. God is a gracious and loving God. He will never make us walk that journey alone. He will be more than happy to walk the road with us. We merely need to invite Him to come into our lives and open up our minds to all the possibilities He has in store for us.
In order to do that, we need to quiet our restless and busy lives so that we may be able to hear Him and listen to His words. “And the vision that was planted in my brain still remains, within the sound of silence.”
FAITH ACTION: Find some time in your schedule today to stop. Do not do anything. Just sit quietly and reflect upon whatever comes to your mind. Ask God to direct your thoughts so that He may surface what you need to consider.