Compiled by: Georgeanne Falstrom, Intern
PARISH LAY MINISTRY ACADEMY
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Tuesday, March 14, 2006
(Daily readings: Ps 61,62,68; Gen 42:1-17; 1 Cor 5:1-8; Mark 3:19-35)

SILENCE AND SOLITUDE
By: Georgeanne Falstrom

Scripture: "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation...I shall never be shaken....my hope is in him....my refuge is in God." ..Ps 62:1,2,5,7

Silence. Solitude. Who can stand it? It is deafening. I don’t like to be alone either. I leave the stereo on when I am not home so when I come home it sounds like someone is there. I turn on the TV in the living room and radio in the kitchen. The noise shuts out the sounds of the world around me so I can concentrate on what is important. I even plug my ears into my walkman while I am jogging or walking.

I don’t want to miss anything. Stop and you get passed by. But, wait. Am I really concentrating? You bet. The noise keeps me focused. Otherwise my mind wanders when it is too quiet...on my problems, on world issues, on work, school, family, friends.

Have we truly become a turned on, tuned in society? Just look around you. How many people are tuned in to cell phone receivers plugged into their ears? Ever tried to have a serious conversation when tuned in to the six o’clock news or football play-off game consuming the ears and eyes of the intended receiver; or with phones ringing to be answered; or over the latest rap album blaring across the room? Is anyone really listening any more?

And what about waiting? What a time waster. Get it done now and move on. Make up your mind so I can do what I need to do. Just make your point. The bottom line is?

If God is our refuge and our salvation, then isn’t he important enough for us to truly quiet our soul, wait on his answer and honor him with our full attention? This is exactly what our Psalm is telling us today. The psalmist waits for the Lord and quiets his soul in anticipation for listening intently. God fulfills our needs and hopes, but can we know if we are too busy to wait and listen? His bottom line is often quite different from ours.

Silence and solitude are two often needed, but hard to do spiritual disciplines. How can we focus our attention on our Lord so he can satisfy our soul as a rich feast (v.5)? Try setting aside ten minutes to try it. No TV, no radio, no stereo. Just you and the Lord. Try this each day during this season. Pour out your heart before him (v. 8) and then just trust in his steadfast love (v. 12). Wait. Tune in and turn in to our Lord. Response?

Prayer: Gracious loving Lord, bring me to silence so I can hear all you want to teach me. You are my fortress, my deliverer, my rock, my refuge. Clear my busy calendar so I my focus is only on you. Help me to listen only to you. In your son’s name.

Meditation: Let me abide in your tent forever, find refuge under the shelter of your wings. Ps 61:4