Category Archives: Quiet

Abiding, Bible, Quiet, Scripture, Silence

BE QUIET

ZECHARIAH 2:13

“Be silent, all mankind, before the LORD; for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”

Working with children for most of my ministry, I got used to telling children to get quiet. Of course, that is easy to say. It’s much harder to make happen, lol. But when I think about the sound of children talking, laughing and playing, it gives me joy. I am sure the Lord feels the same way. However, there is a time to get quiet and listen to the Lord.

That’s where we are in today’s verse. In Zechariah 2:13, the angel, who is still talking to him, says, “Be silent.” Why? “For He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.” Habakkuk 2:20 came to mind as I read today’s verse. It says, “But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.” One verse says He roused Himself from His holy dwelling, while the other one said the Lord is in His holy temple.” What’s the difference in these two.

APPLICATION

Sitting and moving are two different things. When God moves, things happen. In Habakkuk, God is at rest in His temple. He is watching over. But in Zechariah, God has risen up and is about to move against Israel’s enemies. I am reminded also of Exodus 14:14 that reads, “The LORD will fight for you, while you keep silent.”

Do you see a common theme here? Of course, you do. Get quiet! Listen! One of the hardest things to do when we pray is to listen. We just want to talk and talk, giving God our list of demands. We need to set aside time to just be quiet and listen. God speaks in our silence. We can hear Him when we stop talking.

Will you get quiet today? Zechariah tells us to get quiet because the Lord is about to act. Woo Hoo! Let’s just sit back and watch what He will do. It will blow you away. Can you hear Him get up? Can you hear His robe rustling? He’s moving. Can you hear it? You got to listen closely. There, Carl, I think I hear…

Open my ears that I may hear Your whispers of truth.

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Abiding, Bible, Peace, Quiet, Scripture

STILL AND QUIET

ZECHARIAH 1:11

“So they responded to the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is still and quiet.’”

One reason I love to hunt is the stillness and quiet of the forest. You can’t really explain it or show a picture of what I mean. You really just have to experience it. Call me crazy, but to be twenty feet up a tree as day breaks is exhilarating. The feeling is truly unexplainable. The next time I head into the woods, you have to come with me, lol.

The stillness and quiet these angels reported was due to the lack of war at the time. Israel had been hammered by wars which led to their exile. Since returning to Israel, there had been more unrest. But at this moment they were experiencing a little peace. As we will see later in Zechariah, this peace would not last.

APPLICATION

The peace of Christ is the only true peace. Only through surrender to Him can we finally find that peace our soul is looking for. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:28-30, “28‘Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30  For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.’”

Are you looking for peace? Are you looking for stillness and quiet? Look no further. Place your trust in Jesus. Maybe you are a believer, but you are still struggling resting in Him. Psalm 46:10 says, “‘Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.’” Listen to Him. He is offering you exactly what you want – peace and quiet.

I remember my mama saying when we would ask her what she wanted for her birthday or Mothers’ Day. She would say, “A little peace and quiet.” She might get that for a few minutes, but with four kids, it didn’t last long. She’s in her eternal peace now. That is what I long for. One day, we believers will experience that perfect peace. Amen?

Thank You, Lord, for giving us Your peace. I can rest in You.

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Abiding, Bible, Intimacy, Listening, Quiet, Relationships, Scripture

JUST BE QUIET

HABAKKUK 2:20

“‘But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.’”

As I read this verse a memory popped up in my head. Once I first came to Christ in 1977, I was 16 years old and hungry to know Him. My home church, Pelham First Baptist, used to leave the door open twenty-four hours a day to the prayer room. I can still see that room. It seemed to be seldom used (that is sad to think about), but I loved to go there to pray. It was a quiet place where I could hear God’s voice. I needed that place.

This verse today in Habakkuk is probably the key verse to the whole book. This is the central message of God to Habakkuk for His people. It’s as if the Lord is saying, “Get quiet and listen to me. I am still on the throne. No one has removed me. I know who you are and where you are. Do you trust me? Do you love me? Come to me now.”

APPLICATION

Are you hustling and bustling every day this time of the year. The holiday season seems to put people in a tizzy. They can’t seem to rest. Take a breath and look at this verse today. God is telling us to get quiet and listen. We seldom do much listening, do we? We are always talking or doing something.

Getting quiet is a skill you must develop. It does not come naturally for most people. But the benefits of listening to God are huge. You get to hear His voice. You get to rest in the bosom of the Father. You can hear your spirit connect with Him in an intimate relationship meant only for you. Don’t you want that?

I know I do. I want to know Him more. I need to get quiet more often. I need to hear my own heartbeat as it connects with His. Oh, how I long to hear His voice. And the beautiful thing is He wants that too. He wants to spend that kind of time with us. That’s the amazing God we love and serve.

Word of God speak. Speak to me. Let me get quiet and just listen.

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