Life as a River
Noise Canceling Headphones
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and can't stop your brain from thinking about everything. Try counting sheep (that is for all of you 'old-timers'); try thinking about nothing; get up and get some milk to drink; turn the light on and read - particularly a book like the "etiology of the theory of relativity'; and one of my favorites - play 18 holes of golf in my mind; turn on the TV and watch a re-run of The Andy Griffith show, and the list goes on and on.
NOISE - NOISE - NOISE
As many of you know, I travel to Nigeria quite often. I usually try to get an exit row for the extra leg room. That is the good news - the bad news is that it has to be the noisiest seat on the plane - with the engines roaring in your ear for 12 hours.
NOISE - NOISE - NOISE
For quite some time I refused to pay the money for a set of NOISE CANCELING HEADPHONES. 'They can't really be that good'. Well, about a year ago, I found a great deal on a set and in a weak moment bought some. SURPRISE - SURPRISE - they are absolutely WONDERFUL! Although they don't block sound completely - as if I were totally deaf - they stop the noise and the pounding of it in my ears.
QUIET - QUIET - QUIET
And the point is?
Today in the world you and I live in, there is LOTS OF NOISE. And I am not only talking about the kind that is measured in decibels. I am talking about the noise of our life and its circumstances that clutters and pounds away on our minds relentlessly. It impacts us in more ways than we recognize. It distracts us from the task of the moment; It creates worry or fear - sometimes needlessly; It keeps us from 'hearing' loved ones, or friends or even from the Lord himself as they are desperately trying to speak with us.
I think it is time that we INTENTIONALLY get a pair of SPIRITUAL noise canceling headphones.
I think of the words of an old hymn by Manie Furgeson - Blessed Quietness.
Blessed quietness, holy quietness,
Blest assurance in my soul!
On the stormy sea, Jesus speaks to me,
And the billows cease to roll. (And the NOISE stops)
Or the words from Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God"
And probably one of my all time favorites - In the Garden
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on roses
And the voice I hear falling
On my ear the son of God discloses
And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing
And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
Now I am not talking about a magic cure for Noise Canceling. The fact is the noise will ALWAYS be there. In some cases I am thankful that there is noise there - The Airplane engine at 40,00 feet better be making noise!. but when I allow the constant clattering of the noise of life to drown out my Saviors voice - it is time to 'invest' in my Spiritual Noise Canceling headphones - TIME ALONE WITH HIM - LISTENING.
NOISE - NOISE - NOISE
As many of you know, I travel to Nigeria quite often. I usually try to get an exit row for the extra leg room. That is the good news - the bad news is that it has to be the noisiest seat on the plane - with the engines roaring in your ear for 12 hours.
NOISE - NOISE - NOISE
For quite some time I refused to pay the money for a set of NOISE CANCELING HEADPHONES. 'They can't really be that good'. Well, about a year ago, I found a great deal on a set and in a weak moment bought some. SURPRISE - SURPRISE - they are absolutely WONDERFUL! Although they don't block sound completely - as if I were totally deaf - they stop the noise and the pounding of it in my ears.
QUIET - QUIET - QUIET
And the point is?
Today in the world you and I live in, there is LOTS OF NOISE. And I am not only talking about the kind that is measured in decibels. I am talking about the noise of our life and its circumstances that clutters and pounds away on our minds relentlessly. It impacts us in more ways than we recognize. It distracts us from the task of the moment; It creates worry or fear - sometimes needlessly; It keeps us from 'hearing' loved ones, or friends or even from the Lord himself as they are desperately trying to speak with us.
I think it is time that we INTENTIONALLY get a pair of SPIRITUAL noise canceling headphones.
I think of the words of an old hymn by Manie Furgeson - Blessed Quietness.
Blessed quietness, holy quietness,
Blest assurance in my soul!
On the stormy sea, Jesus speaks to me,
And the billows cease to roll. (And the NOISE stops)
Or the words from Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God"
And probably one of my all time favorites - In the Garden
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on roses
And the voice I hear falling
On my ear the son of God discloses
And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing
And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
Now I am not talking about a magic cure for Noise Canceling. The fact is the noise will ALWAYS be there. In some cases I am thankful that there is noise there - The Airplane engine at 40,00 feet better be making noise!. but when I allow the constant clattering of the noise of life to drown out my Saviors voice - it is time to 'invest' in my Spiritual Noise Canceling headphones - TIME ALONE WITH HIM - LISTENING.
"He speaks and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing. ...
And the voice I hear falling on my ear the son of God discloses"
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