There are times when silence is timidity, cowardliness. In the face of evil it is time to speak up. We cannot sit back and watch evil take over, for when we do, we become complicit in that evil. Throughout the book of Joshua he was told by God, “Be strong and of a good courage….” Joshua 1:6
In verse 7 of the same chapter we read, “Only be thou strong and very courageous…” We move down to verse 8 of the same chapter and we read, “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.” Verse 9, “Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” …….and this is precisely how our Lord wants us to be – “strong and of a good courage” … in the face of evil.
“What shall we say then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31
“Be sure you are right and then stand, with bull dog tenacity, stand with Him.”
Then there are times when silence has the loudest of voices. I have had occasions when one was silent with me and I came to learn in those instances that silence was an answer. It spoke volumes. Silence can be reprimanding, consenting or unanswerable. … and for one to be silent with another can also be very hurtful. Silence is very loud!
In Matthew 27:12-14 our Lord was silent before Pilate, the chief priests and elders. “And when He was accused of the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto Him, Hearest Thou not how many things they witness against Thee? And He answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.”
What strength it took for our Lord to be silent when before His accusers!
“A man who lives right and is right, has more power in his silence than another has by his words.”
Then there is a time when our meditation on His Word, prayer should be free from all distraction so that we may be better able to focus on what God is saying to us from His Word and to study, truly study and think on our ways. “Be still, and know that I Am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10
…and when the faithful child of God prays, it should be with reverence and quietness – “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6
“If you don’t make the time to work on the spiritual life you want, you are eventually going to be forced to spend a lot of time dealing with a life you don’t want.”
Eileen Light