Silence in Heaven

I was given a devotional by a woman at the church where I was
doing pulpit supply. It is entitled, Holy Land Moments by a Jewish Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein and a Christian professor Tremper Longman III. In one of the devotions, Rabbi Eckstein describes the Torah scrolls where the Song of Moses [Song of the Sea] is recorded [Exodus 15].
In Torah scrolls, where the Word of God is handwritten in a traditionally prescribed manner, the “Song of the Sea” is recorded in an unusual way. Its phrases are separated by vast empty spaces.

 Vast empty spaces? Time to reflect on the magnitude of what God has done? This caused me to think about a scene described by the Apostle John at the end of the Bible where there is silence in heaven for about a half an hour. (Revelation 8:1). Can you imagine being before the throne of God with a vast array of angels and archangels and being quiet for a half hour? What were they thinking about while sitting in silence for that half hour?


I am struck by my own inability to remain silent for long periods of time. Not just not talking, but not writing or not obsessing as my brain chatters away. But I am convinced that this is something we need; something I need. As the great mathematician and follower of Jesus, Blaise Pascal said:
“All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

All of humanity’s problems? I don’t know about that but I certainly know that a lot of my problems stem from my inability to quiet my chattering brain and sit in silence in Jesus’ presence. Perhaps I will do it right now! Why don’t you join me?

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