Silent Art? Silent Spirituality?

I love movies. I love all kinds. I can switch from Fight Club to UP and not miss a beat. I could watch Bridesmaids and then switch to Tree of Life and not lose anything. I like all sorts. So, I was fascinated this week when the awards were handed out at the Oscars. You may have noticed that the film called “The Artist” won most of the major awards. I am really dying to see it. I haven’t yet, so I cannot comment on it right now. On the surface, it you knew nothing of the movie, but just saw a trailer or sign, it makes perfect sense for the academy to choose this. It is French…instant artistic integrity! ☺ It looks artsy and elegant. In just about every way, it fits the expected pattern of award winners. They usually pick a certain type of movie and actually they get it right more times than not. (except of course of a few exceptions like Driving Miss Daisy over Born on the 4th of July, Chicago over The Pianist, Shakespeare in Love over ANYTHING…but especially Saving Private Ryan, or CRASH even being nominated…) But what you may NOT have known is this movie is a total silent film. There is NO dialogue. Yup…….NO ONE TALKS.
So, does the fact that this won surprise anyone else but me? That is mind-blowing to me in our modern culture! We live in an era where the prevailing thought is THE BIGGER THE BETTER. How else can you explain atrocious films like The Transformers being box office hits? We want explosions, stunts, robots, effects, and 3D! The last thing we want is silence. So to see a film of no noise and no special effects win such prestigious awards is amazing.
I believe what we are seeing is a whisper of God’s truth being understood, without many people realizing it. Our God loves silence. He is IN the whispers and gentle breezes! Jesus was a man of silent prayer and solitude. We are commanded to BE STILL. Perhaps my favorite verse on this topic is Psalms 62:1, where it says, "For God Alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.”
If Hollywood can get it…maybe we followers of Jesus can give it a shot too. Find a quiet place this week. Be still. Wait for God there and thank Him for your salvation. Stop adding to the noise today

Luddites Unite!

I love technology. It amazes me, and I love the way to makes my life easier. I also, know that we rely on it WAY TOO much. If we are honest, we really struggle to function any more without it! Let your Tivo, internet and cell phone all go out in the same day and see what happens. We’d go nuts, running around in circles like lost puppies. As good as technology is, it is also killing us slowly…I am convinced of this.

Recently God proved this to me. I was at a conference away from family and familiar things. But I knew that I always had my life line to the outside world. At any time I could use my cell phone or log on to my trusty Macbook! But something happened. A tragedy! It was total devastation! My soul wept! No…there was no sickness or death. I forgot my phone charger which died within hrs of arriving and there was no internet available (this is 2010 right?) YIKES! What was I going to do?

It is confession time. At first I was REALLY upset over this. I worried and fretted. I was just sure that my week was ruined. But a weird thing happened…….NOTHING. That’s right! The day kept going; I kept breathing and all was well. Slowly and painfully, I learned I could survive without it.

I am convinced this was all divinely planned. For a week, I experienced some silence. No blogs, texts or facebook. In other words: NO DISTRACTIONS! Looking back, I am convinced that it helped me focus and take in more. It forced me to breathe slower and take in the day fully. It reenergized my soul as I focused on all God was doing at the conference.

There truly is something to eliminating noise on our world, as hard as that is. Maybe God knew what He was saying when He commanded us to “Be still and know that HE is God”!