Reverent silence before me, God, the Master! Time's up. My Judgment Day is near: The Holy Day is all set, the invited guests made holy. Zephaniah 1:7 (MSG)

I read a news blurb some time ago about frustrated foley artists. Foley artists are the people behind the scenes in movie production who make sound effects. They record, archive and utilize sounds. The problem that foley artists are having is with ambient sounds of nature. They are having problems recording a quiet mountain stream or the crickets chirping at night because the noise of modern man is everywhere. Airplanes, interstates, cell phones, pagers, beepers, and iPods. We are constantly surrounded by noise.

Today's verse reminded me of another part of God's message where we're instructed that there is a time for everything. There is a time for noise, but there is also a time for silence. I need quiet. God needs me to be silent from time to time. God's voice often comes as a "still, small voice" whispering in our hearts. If I fill my life with noise, I'll never hear it.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and joesflickr