PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

March 21, 2021

SHEER SILENCE

In the 19^th chapter of I Kings we find the Prophet Elijah huddled in a cave in fear of the wrath of Queen Jezebel.  He is invited by the word of the Lord to come out and stand at the entrance to his hiding place for the Lord was about to pass by. “Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breakings rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.”  (I Kings 19:11c, 12)  Elijah found the Lord in the silence.

Photographer and writer Pete McBride has a most interesting article, The Last Quiet Places: To the Ends of the Earth In Search of the Healing Power of Silence, in the October 2020 Smithsonian.  In his article McBride refers to the self-described acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton who is looking for the silence of the soundscapes “that merge when human noise disappears – antidotes to the din of mechanical, beeping world.” (The Smithsonian, p. 55)  As Elijah found out at the entrance to his cave, Hempton discovered these soundscapes are the think tank of the soul.   Unfortunately, they are rapidly disappearing from our landscape.

McBride’s article made me more aware of my own surroundings.  When I took the time to listen to my soundscape I discovered that it is dominated by the sound of moving vehicles, interrupted every so often by emergency vehicles.  There are also the sounds of my furnace/air conditioner, clocks, the refrigerator, washing machine, dryer and other home devices.  Occasionally, a helicopter or an airplane will fly overhead.  Sometimes there are sounds of human voices.

And then there are all of the modern and improved electronic devices.  They are constantly invading the silence of our soundscape.  To make sure I can not escape their influence, we carry them around with us and inflict them on the soundscape of other people.

In our modern world which is so dominated by the human footprint where are we to find the sound of the sheer silence of God?  A place to begin is with the noises and influences we can control.  One approach that many have tried successfully is to turn off all of their electronic devices, including radios and televisions, for a period of time.    There are those who have found a place of refuge to which they can go on a regular basis that is for the most part freed from human noises and distractions.  Another possibility is seeking out places of retreat where one might go periodically to be renewed and reconnected with the Lord who comes in the sound of sheer silence.

When Elijah first looked for the voice of the Lord he found nothing but the forces of chaos: wind, earthquake and fire.  As we look around today we can still find the forces of chaos that would disrupt our lives if we let them.  This last year these forces have been epitomized by the pandemic and its consequences.  More than ever we need to hear the word of the Lord speaking to us to bring comfort, strength, and peace.  We need to find soundscapes where noises caused by humankind can be eliminated or greatly reduced so that we can discern the sound of the sheer silence of the Lord.