Centering Ourselves in Silence

Psalm 62:5-8

(5) For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

for my hope is from him.

(6) "He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

(7) On God rests my salvation and my glory;

my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

(8) Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.

I love Psalm 62 and these particular verses really stand out to me. I have found moments of profound love and connection with God when I simply open my heart to Him in silence. When my heart pours out its cry to it's Author and then waits, in the stillness with attentiveness and expectation. When we sit, opening ourselves up to the reality of God, with expectation of union with Him, abandoning self and our attachments to the world, reaching out in our heart's desire for one thing-to know and love God, He blesses us and transforms us in His light and Love. 

Verse 6 says, "He ONLY is my salvation and glory."...When we recognize that nothing else in life can save us from ourselves, (and that certainly includes ourselves!) and our hope lies only with Him, it is easier and easier to see the things of the world as they really are. Cheap compared to the incomparable beauty and riches found in our Father.

  

I love how Thomas Merton put it:

"Silence is God's first language; everything else is a poor translation." 

I've heard many say that they couldn't possibly etch out every thought, every attachment from their mind's canvass in order to achieve such silence. This is true for most of us in the beginning I think. It takes practice. The Cloud of Unknowing offers a prescription of sorts to aid us in our journey into  union with God, into the silence of our own minds and the emptying of our egos and attachments. Into focusing our hearts into reaching out to God in one uncomplicated, earnest cry. Many who visit this blog are familiar with this approach, but for those who aren't...here is what the book instructs us to do...it all starts with one simple word...



“If you want to gather all your desire into one simple word that the mind can easily retain, choose a short word rather than a long one. A one syllable word such as “God” or “love” is best. But choose one that is meaningful to you. Then fix it in your mind so that it will remain there come what may…Should some thought go on annoying you answer with this one little word alone.”

… “ Why do you suppose that this little prayer of one syllable is powerful enough to pierce the heavens? It is because it is the prayer of a man’s whole being. A man who prays like this prays with all the height and depth and length and breadth of his spirit. His prayer is high, for he prays in full power of his spirit; it is deep that he has gathered all his understanding into this one little word; it is long for if this feeling could endure he would go on crying out forever as he does now;
it is wide because with this universal concern he desires for everyone what he desires for himself.”…

It is with this prayer that a person comes to understand with all the saints the length and breadth and height and depth of the eternal, gracious and almighty God as Saint Paul says, not completely of course, but partially and in that obscure manner characteristic of contemplative knowledge. Length speaks of God’s eternity. Breadth of his love, height of his power, depth of his wisdom. Little wonder then that when grace so transforms a person to this image and likeness of God, his creator, his prayer is so quickly heard by God.” 

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for bringing us in safety to the beginning of this new day. May we find no limits to our relationship and union with You. May we reach out to you with everything we have so that Your light and love will fill our hearts. May we carry that light and love to others around us that need to hear your message of grace, of mercy, of redemption.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.