Page 78 - Biblical Ethics Course

A. “There is another, equally important way of praying in which a person become silent and tries to listen
instead of speaking. Instead of picking up a familiar lead and speaking about the things that all of us
feel are needed, one tries to become still. One’s effort is to be silent enough to hear, first, the deepest
needs of one’s own heart, and then the prompting of the creative Spirit in whatever direction it may
indicate.” (Morton Kelsey, The Other Side of Silence, p. 92).

Reflection in living in the Spirit. Without any contribution, the meeting goes better. We must get a
hold of our relative unimportance. Really you and I are not that important. I’m not that important.
We’re important for God but self-importance not so much. Leaders don’t make things happen if
they’re wise.

B. “In silence we close off our souls from ‘sounds,’ whether those sounds be noise, music, or words.
Total silence is rare, and what we today call ‘quiet’ usually only amounts to a little less noise. Many
people have never experience silence and do not even know that they do not know what it is. Our
households and offices are filled with the whirling, buzzing, murmuring, chattering, and whining of the
multiple contraptions that are supposed to make life easier. Their noise comforts us in some curious
way. In fact, we find complete silence shocking because it leaves the impression that nothing is
happening. In a go-go world such as ours, what could be worse than that!”? (Dallas Willard, The Spirit
of the Disciplines, p. 163).

Silence is almost totally foreign to us.

C. “In silence we learn to rely more on God’s control in situations where we would normally feel
compelled to speak, or to speak too much. We find out that He is able to manage situations in which
we once thought our input was indispensable. The skills of observation and listening are also
sharpened in those who practice silence and solitude so that when they do speak there’s more of a
freshness and depth to their words.” (Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, p.
185).

D. “Prayer is answering speech. The first word is God’s word. Prayer is a human word and never the first
word, never the initiating and shaping word, simply because we are never first, never primary.”
(Eugene H. Peterson, Working the Angles, p. 33).

IV. Practical Tips
A. Find a quiet spot in the house or elsewhere. Use a pair of earplugs if necessary.
B. Turn off the television, radio and stereo. Take the phone off the hook or turn on the answering
machine.
C. Cast guilt concerning the past and anxieties concerning the future on God. Concentrate on being quiet
now.

Biblical Ethics involves Bible Intake

I. Definition – the practice of concentrated absorption of Scripture, through various means, as a catalyst for
spiritual growth.

Soaking up scripture taking in a lot of it. You can’t grow without the Word. It is the most powerful, most
fundamental discipline.

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