Shhhh!!!!!

There's a Star Trek meme in which Dr. Spock turns to Captain Kirk and says, "You humans are basically prisoners to your phones." The Captain answers dryly, "Well, of course. Why do you think they're called 'cell phones'?" When you think about it, there's a lot of truth in that.

In this day and age it seems that busyness has gone from bad to worse. Not only are simple activities such as sitting on the porch watching neighbor children play now virtually nonexistent, technology has introduced a new level of mind-consuming absorption.

When computers made their debut in academia, we teachers were told what a wonderful new era was unfolding before us--the dreaded paperwork would be simplified and reduced! Ha! Instead we found ourselves having to input things in dual types of "paperwork"--both old fashioned paper style as well as online. Instead of reduced "paperwork," we found our "paper" workload doubled.

I'm sure many of you have had the somewhat dubious "fun" of going to the hospital and having every single caregiver who sashays by take your data again to input in their device. Apparently most, if not all, of their devices are not connected so ... It was a lot simpler on the patient when the handy dandy chart at the foot of the bed told all.

And at home, work, or out and about, always, always, the constant scrolling through/checking of the phone. Never, ever a moment when the mind experiences simple peace and quiet. Never a mind simply ... at rest. What began as a way to enrich our lives--and in many ways it has--has also become a modern day actualization of Hypnos--the Greek god of sleep who could put a victim in such a deep state that they wouldn't be aware of horrible things being done to their body.

Through the years, I came to discern a relationship between quietness and success. Students who seemed the quietest were the ones who grew up to be lawyers, judges, people the world at large deems persons of consequence. Funny thing, isn't it? It wasn't the fiery students who were always drawing attention to themselves but rather those who knew how to be quiet--rarely spoke up in class, eschewed the limelight--who ended up excelling in their chosen profession. They seemed the epitome of the saying, "Still waters run deep." And that's just in the natural scheme of things.

A biblical take on this shows a similar correlation between quietness and greatness. Isaiah 30:15 reads, "For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not."

There's just something about quiet contemplation that promotes our spirit's ability to hear from God. There's a reason why He told Joshua, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8). The Hebrew word translated "meditate" here is hagah, which literally means to mutter. By having God's word in his mouth, "muttering" it, Joshua would be continually thinking about it, about God, about Who He is, about His commandments. It stands to reason that if his mouth was busy repeating God's words, he wouldn't be daydreaming or thinking about his family, the chores he needed to do, how well he slept last night, long and short term goals--his mind would be quietly centered on God.

If we are constantly only listening to other voices (TV, radio, playlists), when will be hear God's? With all the cacophony of media that assaults our senses day in and day out, we need to purposely make time to listen to God. We need to designate a quiet time to spend in His word, communing with Him, listening to Him.

The Bible is replete with examples of people who fasted, people who abstained from food for the sole purpose of hearing from God, and then actually did hear from Him. Fasting isn't an Old Testament custom no longer in place for believers. In Matthew 6:16-18 Jesus talks about it saying, "But you, when you fast." Not "if" but "when". Apparently He expected those who follow Him to purposely put the desires of the flesh aside at given times, to quiet the carnal longings of the body to focus on communing with Him. Could it be that just as Christians sometimes put food to the side, we should also quiet our spirits by putting technology on hold?

I'm by no means a world traveler. The only countries outside the USA I've been to are Mexico, Guatemala, Singapore, and a US territory. Within the confines of my limited experience, however, I can say unequivocally that the best waiters I have ever had the privilege of seeing are those in Mexico. They are phenomenal. Their eyes constantly sweep over their customers so that all one has to do is barely seek to make eye constant and boom!--there they are at your beck and call. There's a verse in the Bible that talks about that. Psalm 123:2 says, "Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters ... so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God ..." See the connection? The excellent waiter looks intensely at those he serves, watching, waiting. Similarly, the excellence of our relationship with God is heavily correlated to how we wait on Him.

I love the story of Susanna Wesley, mother of the famed Wesley brothers, she who birthed not one, not two, but nineteen children. Although not all survived, she still had quite a houseful. Now, any mother alive knows how hard "me" time is with one or two children. Can you imagine thirteen? But Susana Wesley rocked quiet time with God. Her kids knew: when mom has her apron covering her face and head--don't bother her! She's talking to God!

Let's take a cue from Mrs. Wesley. Whatever it takes, let's carve out some quiet time with God, to think of Him, to talk to Him, to listen to Him.

Apron, anyone?

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: ... a time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7).

"And he (Jesus) said unto them. Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place (i.e., a place of quiet), and rest a while" (Mark 6:31).