"The abnegation of reason is not the evidence of faith, but the confession of despair."
- J.B. Lightfoot
Monday, June 30, 2008
While he was working among the poor in Bolivia, [Henri] Nouwen took an evening off during Advent season to see a movie. "The movie was so filled with images of greed and lust, manipulation and exploitation, fearful and painful sensations, that it filled all the empty spaces that could have been blessed by the spirit of Advent."Recently, I updated my Facebook profile (yes, I'm very new-millennia, even though I'm older than dirt). I set a value to the "Favorite Music" field. I set it to "Silence". I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather listen to these days.
- From Philip Yancey's Prayer, Does It Make Any Difference?
What shall we use to fill the empty spaces,
Where we used to talk?
- Pink Floyd, Empty Spaces
In past ages, more of people's time was filled with silence than it is now. Today, we are inundated with input. Media washes over us so much that many of us forget how deeply we are immersed in it.
I find myself getting antsy when I have nothing to do. When the input stream is turned off, I feel like something's missing. Years ago, I read the science fiction novel Islands In The Net. I don't remember much about it, other than one very telling scene. The novel is set in the near future, and everyone spends their day connected, at all times, to a world-wide network. It's amazing how close we are to that already. At one point the main characters enter an elevator that is lead-lined or something, and their connection with the network is severed. Just for a few moments.
And they panic.
When I first read that, probably fifteen years ago, it was a curiosity. Now it has the eery glow of something very familiar. Most of us are not accustomed to silence. If you're like me, there aren't nearly as many empty spaces in your life as there need to be.
I know I need the empty spaces. Because it's in the empty spaces that God's voice is most easily heard.
I need to learn to practice more diligently the ancient disciplines of silence, of stillness. Because if there was ever a time for me to be still and know He is God, it's right now.
Empty space. It's a good thing.
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Comments on "Empty Spaces":
2. Bird
- 07/01/2008 6:57 am CDT
It certainly is a good thing. There's a lot of "noise" out there today, even in our homes with Fox News (or whatever) running nearly 24/7.
3. Ron
- 07/01/2008 9:54 am CDT
Right on. I'm about as connected as you can get - and I enjoy it. I am, however acutely aware of my need for silence. I make it a habit to get up before anyone else in my family so I can get it, and when one of my kids wakes up early as well it completely throws me off for the rest of the day. I've always found the image of God appearing to Elijah very compelling:
"And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper."
5. Shrode
- 07/01/2008 12:33 pm CDT
Very cool bill. And right on.
I don't have anything meaningful to add, but your sci-fi novel example reminded me of the borg on Star Trek. They are a race of beings that are a combination of biological and artificial life (cy-borg) and they have a "hive mind". They are one collective consciousness, all being connected by a wireless signal. And when one gets cut off from the collective, they can't function.
It sure feels like we're heading that way...
Of course this leads me on another rabbit trail - community faith vs. individual faith. I think one of the things we've stressed here at thinklings is the need for both, right? A balance. One without the other is unhealthy.
6. Buggs
- 07/01/2008 1:20 pm CDT
Like Bill who also believes balance is key to healthy everything (right, Bill?), why would anyone in their RIGHT mind leave out community in their faith walk?
When the honeymoon is over there's a real need for it to keep things alive and new in the Christian walk.
It's never living for Christ in a cage-like existence, that's for pets, like being a "cyber-geek" or something.
Solitude and disconnect is just what the devil loves to do with God's children born to run and lead the Way they were created and built to function best at.
7. Shrode
- 07/01/2008 3:26 pm CDT
Buggs,
I certainly didn't mean to imply that's what Bill meant. I know he didn't.
This post has nothing to do with disconnencting with the Christian community.
I think it has everything to do with what Jesus taught by example when he left the crowds and his disciples and went off by himself to pray.
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Very nice