Silent prayer

Psalm 46:10
Today I had a chance to go to the chapel service. It was a blessing because I have missed allot of services since I deployed to Iraq. The Chaplin was holding a communion this service and spoke on 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. After the passage reading we all came forward, took some bread, dipped it into the chalice, and returned to our seats for some silent prayer. It didn't take long after closing my eyes to realize that this is a place I haven't been in a while. I'm not referring to prayer, rather silent prayer. There were no distractions, no side thoughts or rabbit trails. My thoughts were solely on the Father. At once I thought about Psalms 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God", and felt that I had a new understanding of what that meant. Now, I always dedicate some time in the mornings for reading the word. I read through some of my favorites, and some new passages. It all depends on what I'm studying at the time. Afterwards I spend some time in prayer, but it all seems to be on an intellectual level. I read through the passages grammatically, and hermeneutically. I think about and pray for the daily applications to my life, and how this might be a blessing to others around me. It has become very much systematic, and even routine. Does the word speak to me during these times? It most certainly does. Do the daily applications encourage me, and give me strength? They most certainly do, and at the Lords timing they are a blessing to others around me. However I have found that there is a feeding of the soul, a building of the inner temple, that takes place when we pause, and find ourselves 'still' in the presence of our God. When all other thoughts are gone, and all our distractions become too quiet to hear, we can be found lying down in green pastures, resting beside quiet waters, where God restores our soul (Psalm 23:2). I didn't go to the service looking for communion, and I'm sure the Chaplin didn't prepare the service with Psalm 46:10 in mind, but sometimes that's how God works; especially when we remember to be still in His presence.  [mp]

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Michael D'Urbano
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