Day One
Noise Reduction
“Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak."
Job 33:31

     How many times have you entered a room to find the television on but no one in the room?  What about finding an empty room with a loudly playing radio?  Noise is everywhere we turn.  We use noise to drown out our thoughts and to reduce stress.  But sometimes we allow noise to dominate our lives and drown out the silences that only God should and can fill. 

     Silence is important in the life of a disciple.  Without silence, how can we expect to hear God speaking to us?  Without silence, how can we organize our thoughts and direct our plans?  Without silence, how can we expect ourselves to properly meditate on God's word?  Silence is not only important, it is necessary for proper spiritual growth to take place.

     We need to work at reducing the level of noise around us.  It is so natural the way noise seeps into our lives and knocks us from our proper perspective into an area of numbing thoughtlessness.  But we cannot allow ourselves to be lulled into brainless activity.  God made us with a brain to utilize, a heart to love, and a spirit to shine.  We cannot expect to achieve our ultimate as Christians unless the totality of our being is utilized.

* A disciple reduces noise in his life to pave the way for the silences of God