Silent Voice

Our family home is located on several acres of tree laden hills and deep ravines. Winter has set in and the quiet snow replaces the crunch of leaves along the paths that cross the property. As part of my daily routine, I venture out to pause in the stillness and quiet my thoughts before the Lord. I learned many years ago that it’s abundantly good to mute the striving of human existence and purposefully take time to calmly listen to the Master of all things. Christ Himself often withdrew from the noise and crowds to commune with His heavenly Father. How much more we—who are so often far from Him—have need to withdraw into His presence. 

There’s something about falling snow that calms the spirit. The constant motion of gravity anchors our person. Stillness pervades our inner being if we but stop to observe the colorless wonder around us. A blanket of snow covers the landscape and former details of bright leaves are awash in white. The mud and dust are hidden and nothing but unadulterated snowflakes cover the scene. No wonder scripture so often compares the imagery of snow to forgiveness and renewal. As Isaiah so aptly put it “Come now let us reason together, says the Lord though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” What a vivid picture of Christ’s forgiveness. He begs us to withdraw and reason with Him. Like a father who longs to pour his heart out to the son he loves, so Jesus bids us simply come and talk with Him. 

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are like crimson, they shall become like wool”

Isaiah 1:18 (ESV)

It seems our modern mode of living has brought with it a thousand new ways to communicate. A cell phone in every hand, a text on every screen and uncountable worthless babbling permeates our minds. The distractions persist. Christ seeks a select few who choose to silence the noise of this age. It is a majestic thing to simply stand in the middle of a forest as the snow gently covers everything in sight. It is a magnificent thing indeed when our sins become just as white and covered by amazing grace. So many of us claim the forgiveness of heaven without even considering what that means. Cheap absolution remains such a large part of our contemporary altar calls it’s a wonder anyone knows the divine fellowship of discipleship these days. To partake in the silent saving grace of Jesus, we must first enjoy a true, daily discourse with Him. We must approach the throne and reason with a living God. This imperative dialog needs to occur if we wish to encounter Him. 

Fullness reaches seasons end clouds shift and sway
Crushing cumulous bursting forth the deep-frozen rain
Cleansing white covers the bluff revealing pathways unknown
Until the dawn of distant light returns to its final home

Echoes of an ancient truth call each back to their place
Where once the heart could succumb to this quiet saving grace
Resting on a forest chair the canopy covers the sod
Mark full well the reposing sound of the silent voice of God 

Consider the seasons. Countless books and commentaries have been written comparing the Christian walk to the changing seasons. Christ Himself made more than one analogy to the same. Our ancient predecessors were keenly aware of their dependence on daily farming. This of course explains why much of the parables speak of seed sowers, shepherds and harvest time. We all know that before winter arrives the trees turn, leaves fall, and plants die. This remains a necessary process for annual renewal. Why, then, do we so readily forget we too must pass through a similar daily process? It’s not enough to simply delight in a quiet moment by stream or enjoy a pious Bible study alone. We need to hash it out, as it were, with our heavenly Father. To wrestle with God and find peace in His forgiveness is all He asks. The weather “falls on the just and unjust” and it snows in my back yard just as much as it does somewhere else. Yet amongst the toil and cares of our day, let us bring our sordid hearts before Him. Quiet ourselves before our Father in heaven and let the snow remind us of His loving grace which remains more than sufficient for those who listen.