Read Isaiah 30:15
We are living in a “too much” culture.
Too much empty talk. Too much rich food. Too much emphasis on success, winning, being the biggest, and having the best. Too much comparison, commercialism, and competition. Too many meetings. Too much social media. Too many making the extreme the standard. Periods are fast being replaced by exclamation points. “Nice” is no longer sufficient. Now it’s got to be “fantastic” or “incredible.” And, of course, “awesome!!”
Whatever happened to a quiet, barefoot walk along a beach? Or an evening of just listening to music? Or going on a bike ride, topped off with an ice-cream cone, single dip? Or flying a kite, then lying on our backs and taking a snooze? Taking in a symphony or a ballet? Watching a meteor shower with our grandkids?
How nice to be surprised by subtlety and silence. To stumble across genuine beauty, true sincerity without overt attempts to impress. First-class class...understated elegance that leaves room to imagine, to think, to decide for ourselves, to appreciate. Films and other art forms that give us spaces of silence to feel, to sigh. Speeches, sermons, and writing that reflect true craftsmanship, convincing us that so much more could have been said.
Isaiah wrote succinctly:
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.” (Isaiah 30:15)
My plea? More quiet times with the Lord, with ourselves, and with all God has provided. Let’s work at breaking free from the chains of noise and addiction to stuff. Put all that down for a long, long time—maybe forever. Shut off your smartphone (smart?), open the Word, sit in quietness, and ponder the things of God. Be still. Be quiet. Go deep. Stay there.
Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord...Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.
The full devotional can be purchased at https://www.tyndale.com/p/good-morning-lord-can-we-talk/9781414380681.
