Sounds of silence

How clearly the sky reveals God’s glory!
How plainly it shows what he has done!
Each day announces it to the following day;
each night repeats it to the next.   (verses 1, 2)

Read Psalm 19

Francis of Assisi once said, ‘Preach always, and, if necessary, use words’. We recognise the wisdom of this when we say today that ‘actions speak louder than words’. The beautiful poetic words of our psalm refer to the heavens above and nature around us. Nature speaks eloquently! It ‘reveals, shows, announces, repeats’.

A familiar Christmas carol tells of ‘heaven and nature’ singing, and ‘fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains’ repeating the joy of Christ’s coming. The warmth and healing of sunshine, the creative power of rain, the moon with its unseen force to move seas – this barely tapped’ knowledge of God’s mind – are you listening?

Your Saviour’s birth, God’s greatest message to you, came wordlessly:
How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heaven. (Phillips Brooks, 1835-93)

Your Saviour’s death, his broken body, his spilt blood – they are food for you. He speaks to you from the cross. Stop, look, listen. Hear the sounds of silence.

Lord in the rush and chaos of modern life, direct my eyes to your heavens. Let me find the Southern Cross and read there your message of love. Let my everyday actions speak louder than words. Amen.

by Alicia Simpfendorfer, in ‘God’s Peace for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2005)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.