Silencing the 12th Man

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

The Seattle Seahawks are famous for their “12^th Man” referring to their fans in the home stadium. Though not the only team with exuberant fans, the acoustics of their stadium combined with the efforts of their hometown followers, make so much noise that the opposing offense often has great difficulty hearing their plays. When the opposition is on the field the fans break into a roar, sometimes with the on field players’ encouragement, the quarterback often has to use a visual cue to start the play. Needless to say, most quarterbacks don’t look forward to facing the famous “12^th Man.”

Sometimes this world is full of noise. Politicians insist their bill is the only way to save the nation. Television ads insist we cannot live without a certain food, car or fragrance. The news reminds of a dangerous world with terrorists internationally, conspiracies at home, and crime in the streets. Then the weather man comes on and tops it all off with a hurricane warning or special weather alert of an oncoming blizzard. Our parents’ voices direct us even long after they are gone, and we wish we had done better by our children. There is no end to the ongoing play list in our minds.

When we add the desire to hear Jesus clearly we can become very frustrated. Depending on what our background is, we may be unsure we are even hearing Him at all. Does Jesus sound like the monotone liturgical priest or closer to the revival fire preacher? Is His voice gentle and firm, or does He rage with anger and wrath? Does He speak through the down and out, or should I hope to hear Him in the programs of the rich and successful.

With so much internal and external noise, we should be quite humble when it comes to knowing God’s voice. Spend just a few days perusing Facebook or listening to Christian Patriots on the left or the right and you likely will be quite confused about what Jesus says. The loudest and most difficult noise to deal with is our own desire to be right. Not until we have truly quieted ourselves, stopped insisting that we know God’s plan for the universe, and humbly laid down our personal desire for God to conform to our opinions can we truly hear His voice.

The joy that comes from hearing Him in the quiet space is greater than we can imagine. We wish He would just shout. Stand up, God, and turn the amp up to 11. Get the decibels so high we can hear what You have to say above even the roar of a jet on the runway racing to its takeoff.

God will not bend to us. Not only does He require that we hear what He says clearly, He insists we come to Him quietly. Psalm 46 is about God’s power over nature: “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way…” (verse 2), and His power over the nations: “Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.” When we are told, “Be still and know that I am God” it is a command to the commotion of nations at war and the convolutions of nature.

Above all, God tells us, who have followed Jesus by faith, to also still our own souls, thoughts and fears, and live in the knowledge that He is truly God.

A story is told about a man and an old preacher. The man had lost his job and didn’t know which way to turn, so he went to meet with the preacher. Pacing about the preacher’s office, the man ranted about his situation. He finally clenched his fists and cried out, “I’ve begged God to speak to me, and…nothing. Why won’t God answer me?”

The old man, sitting across the room, spoke something in reply; but it was quiet and indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room, “What did you say?” Again the preacher spoke, but more hushed than before, so the man moved even closer, so that he was leaning on the preacher’s chair. “I’m sorry, sir,” he said. “I still can’t hear you.” With their heads bent together, nearly touching, the old preacher spoke once more, “Sometimes God whispers so we will move close to hear Him.”

Maybe it is time for me to pause my play list, put down my Kindle, exit Facebook, put my smartphone on silent and quietly listen. Maybe it is time to make it a habit. God is never required to meet us on our schedule. Through His grace, He often does, but what if the very reason I am missing Him is because my life is just plain too noisy?