Putting in at sunset at MacDowell Lake.
"It's when you take two words that are totally the opposite and you jam 'em together....like military intelligence, dark victory...thunderous silence...."
― Danny DeVito in "Renaissance Man"
The Sons of Korah who penned the lyrics to Psalm 46 got it long before we, or Danny DeVito, ever did―this walk of following in Jesus' footsteps is an oxymoron of endless and sometimes chaotic noise bubbling over a deep current of perfect peace. The same psalm that inspired one of the most famous, most majestic, and most floor-rattling hymns of our faith ― "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"―also whispers "be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46 is not either/or, but both. It is not trying to avoid or deny the reality of the former to escape to the latter, but rather God gripping us by the hand as if to assure us, "I AM with you in the midst of it all."
Life with the King of the universe is a wonderful "thunderous silence." If only we will look for it. If only we will take the time. If only we will look for Him. But how?
"That same day, Jesus left the house and went to sit by the sea."
―Matthew 13:1, The Voice
On the heels of a day filled with going from place to place, surrounded by people of all walks of life making requests, and demands, and challenges, and questions, and accusations, and all the while being hemmed in by so many people in great need and in impossible situations looking for answers or simply just a glimmer of hope, Jesus pursued the stillness of His Father's presence by, it would seem, slipping out to someplace quiet without anyone noticing.
With one little three-letter word, Jesus our example lives out the oxymoron of life that is Psalm 46. "Sit." Most of the time, when we go to our favorite get-away place, we're still moving when we get there. We want to walk, or hike, or jog, or restlessly go to this vantage point and then the next. All the while realizing that just because we are at our favorite place doesn't mean that the noise has gone away. Besides, some of the most thunderous noises are the ones that keep playing in our heads: "do this, you forgot that, what about this?, and what if?... and you really should have....and what a mess―how is this every going to sort itself out-ok-let-me-play-out-all-the-scenarios-and-put-it-on-repeat."
And in that one little three-letter word, Jesus seems to to be modeling:
Recharge your batteries and get a renewed Heavenly perspective.
Stop moving, even if your brain is at full tilt.
Stop completely.
Be still.
Breathe deeply.
Look up and see His majesty and presence all around you once more.
And while you're at it, don't forget to confess with your mouth what your brain knows is true but quickly forgets.
The beauty of what is known as flat water kayaking is that it forces you to stop moving your feet even while your brain is racing―when it is too busy being busy, a sort of multi-topic mental vertigo. And when all that internal noise rages, the launch from shoreline can provide a stunning counterattack. One evening not long ago, the lake was so calm, so still, so smooth as glass, it seemed like splashing the oars to move forward would be akin to being that one person who has a coughing spell in the midst of holy-hush moment of a play or concert...
..."Sit."And so I sat. And just floated rather aimlessly, occasionally carefully dipping a paddle into the water as though I were tip-toeing. It was still rather noisy inside, but soon, the thunderous silence began to invade. Soon the multi-topic mental vertigo was drowned out by the sound of...silence. Not a breeze. Not a distant airplane or traffic. Even the birds flying around and about seemed to be on mute in reverence.
The beauty of what is known as flat water kayaking is that it forces you to stop moving your feet even while your brain is racing―when it is too busy being busy, a sort of multi-topic mental vertigo. And when all that internal noise rages, the launch from shoreline can provide a stunning counterattack. One evening not long ago, the lake was so calm, so still, so smooth as glass, it seemed like splashing the oars to move forward would be akin to being that one person who has a coughing spell in the midst of holy-hush moment of a play or concert...
What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do?
..."Sit."And so I sat. And just floated rather aimlessly, occasionally carefully dipping a paddle into the water as though I were tip-toeing. It was still rather noisy inside, but soon, the thunderous silence began to invade. Soon the multi-topic mental vertigo was drowned out by the sound of...silence. Not a breeze. Not a distant airplane or traffic. Even the birds flying around and about seemed to be on mute in reverence.
And then, as I had done a few times before but not enough lately, I pulled out my phone's bible app and didn't just think-read but broke the thunderous silence by doing something which seems a bit weird and awkward: confessing with my mouth what is True. Out loud. It seemed to echo around the lake:
Even in the silence, the noise inside didn't suddenly disappear; the realities of dilemmas and decisions and tough situations remained. But what was noticeable was this: they were put in their place, drowned out by a peace that passes all understanding. And all Creation praised the moment: The thunderous silence was broken by the distant call of an owl, and then of a loon, and then of a beaver trying to quietly sneak by without being noticed. And then most amazingly, as though God Himself was smiling through this moment of the rhythms of grace, I looked to the western sky and saw that great hymn and the last verse of Psalm 46 as a painting: a glorious mighty fortress in the clouds....
“God is our shelter and our strength.
When troubles seem near, God is nearer, and He’s ready to help.
So why run and hide?
No fear, no pacing, no biting fingernails.
When the earth spins out of control, we are sure and fearless.
When mountains crumble and the waters run wild, we are sure and fearless.
Even in heavy winds and huge waves,
or as mountains shake, we are sure and fearless….
“Be still, be calm, see, and understand I am the True God.
I am honored among all the nations.
I am honored over all the earth.”
You know the Eternal, the Commander of heavenly armies, surrounds us and protects us;
the True God of Jacob is our shelter, close to His heart.”
(Psalm 46: 1-3; 10-11)
Even in the silence, the noise inside didn't suddenly disappear; the realities of dilemmas and decisions and tough situations remained. But what was noticeable was this: they were put in their place, drowned out by a peace that passes all understanding. And all Creation praised the moment: The thunderous silence was broken by the distant call of an owl, and then of a loon, and then of a beaver trying to quietly sneak by without being noticed. And then most amazingly, as though God Himself was smiling through this moment of the rhythms of grace, I looked to the western sky and saw that great hymn and the last verse of Psalm 46 as a painting: a glorious mighty fortress in the clouds....
[Originally published summer of 2017]
No comments:
Post a Comment