Life is noisy! Noise is disturbing. Distressing. Disconcerting. Ever notice when all of a sudden it is quiet, you feel relieved? Calmed. Quieted. God never intended for us to be bombarded with endless blare, and all its accompanying high decibel distress. But since much of life is cranked up with constant clamor, can we find the quietness we so desperately crave?
We’re told in Zephaniah 3:17 that “He will quiet you with His love.” Nice verse. But WHAT does it mean and HOW will He do it?
In pondering this, it struck me that God’s love does not exist in a vacuum. It’s not merely a warm fuzzy concept. His love is demonstrated physically and practically, in the very world we inhabit, and in the seemingly senseless circumstances we experience. So His quieting would also be manifested in a tangible way. Both on His part and on ours.
As I see it, the disturbing noise of life bombards us in two ways: PAIN and PRESSURE. We all have suffered with pain, feeling both physical and emotional pain (grief, fear, remorse, etc.). God’s quieting love answers and soothes our pain when we meet Him by faith at the cross of His Son. A very physical demonstration of His quieting love. And because His love is eternal, it supersedes everything else that will eventually come to an end, including all pain.
The other distressing noise in our lives that needs quieting is PRESSURE. Feeling harried, stressed, overwhelmed. The ceaseless clamor of just getting through the day. And in this age of nonstop communication, solitude is a lost treasure. For me, to receive God’s quieting love in a real way, I need to do something physical. Mary got it right. While her sister was stressing about housework, Mary sat down. Took a little time out from the stress. She purposely let herself BE QUIETED in the presence of the Lord. She let Him love her. She listened to Him. And that silenced the noise.
What do YOU need that will quiet you long enough to grasp the extent His love? For YOU? When we push the mute button, and pause briefly to engage our physical senses in a calming way, we can BE QUIETED. Maybe it’s a cozy chair, herbal tea, essential oils, soothing music, or a scenic photo. Be still. Listen. Hear his Word. What is He saying to you?
When we sit still and listen to His love,
the noise of life fades.
And after a little time out, when we resume our tasks, we can do so with a calmer, deeper grasp of His love, and a glimpse of where that love will carry us in the days, years and eternity ahead.
“That you may grasp how wide,
and long, and high, and deep is the love of Christ!”
(Eph. 3:18)
