I dare say that unfortunately you will not hear the following tune on Christian Radio. It is a shame. I was listening to this tune penned by Andrew Peterson as performed by Michael Card from his recording entitled, The Hidden Face of God. As I was cleaning stalls in our stable I was struck by this tune - if I had heard it before, I hadn’t really listened. This release is a wonderful recording from Card - (which probably didn’t sell real well) but the center piece of the recording is Peterson’s tune!

As I listened I came to a fresh awareness of this desire in my soul: I long to be a part of a Christian community where discussions on the silence of God is a regular topic of discussion (where this song could be a “theme song” for a season). I long for the day when Christianity is unashamed of the mystery of God (not everything has to be understood, principle-ized, dissected and made into a “how to.”) and the paradox that He is the God who reveals and the God who “hides.”

The Silence of God (by Andrew Peterson)

It’s enough to drive a man crazy; it’ll break a man’s faith
It’s enough to make him wonder if he’s ever been sane
When he’s bleating for comfort from Thy staff and Thy rod
And heaven’s only answer is the silence of God

It’ll shake a man’s timbers when he loses his heart
When he has to remember what broke him apart
This yoke may be easy, but this burden is not
When the crying fields are frozen by the silence of God

And if a man has got to listen to the voices of the mob
Who are reeling in the throes of all the happiness they’ve got
When they tell you all their troubles have been nailed up to that cross
Then what about the times when even followers get lost?
‘Cause we all get lost sometimes…

There’s a statue of Jesus on a monastery knoll
In the hills of Kentucky, all quiet and cold
And He’s kneeling in the garden, as silent as a Stone
All His friends are sleeping and He’s weeping all alone

And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot
What sorrow is carried by the hearts that he bought
So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
In the holy, lonesome echo of the silence of God

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into God’s presence with singing!
Know that the Lord is God! It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him, bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

The Canticle of Brother Sun

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord,
Praise, glory and honor and benediction all are thine.
To thee alone do they belong, most High, and there is no man fit to mention thee.

Praise be to thee, my Lord, with all thy creatures,
Especially to my worshipful brother sun,
The which lights up the day, and through him dost thou brightness give;
And beautiful is he and radiant with splendor great;
Of thee, most High, signification gives.

Praised be my Lord, for sister moon and for the stars,
In heaven thou hast formed them clear and precious and fair.
Praised be my Lord for brother wind
And for the air and clouds and fair and every kind of weather,
By the which thou givest to thy creatures nourishment.

Praised be my Lord for sister water,
The which is greatly helpful and humble and precious and pure.

Praised be my Lord for brother fire,
By the which thou lightest up the dark.
And fair is he and gay and mighty and strong.

Praised be my Lord for our sister, mother earth,
The which sustains and keeps us
And brings forth diverse fruits with grass and flowers bright.

Praised be my Lord for those who for thy love forgive
And weakness bear and tribulation.
Blessed those who shall in peace endure,
For by thee, most High, shall they be crowned.

Praised be my Lord for our sister, the bodily death,
From the which no living man can flee.
Woe to them who die in mortal sin;
Blessed those who shall find themselves in thy most holy will,
For the second death shall do them no ill.

Praise ye and bless ye my Lord, and give him thanks,
And be subject unto him with great humility. (St. Francis of Assisi: The Canticle of Brother Sun)

The fruit of silence is prayer,
The fruit of prayer is faith,
The fruit of faith is love,
The fruit of love is service,
The fruit of service is peace.

Mother Theresa
———————————
Simple, yet M. Theresa’s “simple path” is worthy of contemplation and careful consideration. The starting point is one which I have found few appreciate. But when we find that transforming furnace of silence, we discover new perspectives, our passions, a new person (our true identity) and most important we become more acquainted with the person and presence of God. This leads us on down the “simple path” for the fruit of silence is prayer…

early morning hours

stillness lingers on
not a drop spills over top
Mystery filling

awakened to find
each moment flashes your touch
new eyes moving slow

confined to God speed
brings a fresh way to be now
stillness lingers on

greeting a new day

making all things new
spring emerges finally
fresh, crisp life speaks

Give us eyes to see the unfolding of The Mystery today in our everyday.

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

– from “Leisure,” by W.H. Davies