What to Do in the Silence

Can you imagine the deafening silence that those who loved Jesus experienced after His marred holy body was placed in a tomb? What can be said in desperate hours and days of silence? How do followers fill their hollow hearts when it is weighed with loss or burdened by sin?  Nehemiah 9 shows us. It’s a chapter that recounts people who are in sackcloth, fasting. It’s a chapter of people who, in desperation, read the book of the law and confess and worship. We’re privy to their prayer. Nehemiah 9:5-8a,  “Arise, bless the LORD your God forever and ever!  O may Your glorious name be blessed and exalted above all the blessing and praise! You alone are the Lord. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before you. You are Lord God, Who chose Abram and brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees and gave him the name Abraham. You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him…” What do we do in times of desperation and when God is silent? We bless God’s glorious name and recount His goodness.

NOTE: During this time of self-isolation, take time each day to think through your life or even that day and write down how God has been there for you. If you have a spouse or children at home or friends or family who can be reached by phone or Face Time, you could do this together. It will remind you that God has been there for you in the past, He is with you now, and will be with you tomorrow. 

It will strengthen your resolve to trust Him as you refresh your memory with His faithfulness. 

“‘O may Your GLORIOUS name be blessed and exalted above all blessing and praise!’” Nehemiah 9:5