Eccl. 5:1,2 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut!

Eccl. 5:1-2 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut! Don’t be a fool who doesn’t realize that mindless offerings to God are evil. And don’t make rash promises to God, for he is in heaven and you are only here on earth. So, let your words be few.

Wow.  How many of us are in churches where silence is a good thing?  It seems like the church today is more about noise and busyness than it is silence and meditation.  We have gotten to the point where we are uncomfortable in the quiet.  We surround ourselves with noise and chatter so much that we just don’t know how to wait patiently before God anymore. Yes, there are churches that practice silence where the soul can reflect on her standing before God.  But, it is not the practice of most churches.

We are reminded in today’s verses that it is better to be quiet and listen than it is to always be talking.  All of us think we have profound things to say, but do we really need to say them?  Why is it that we don’t keep our mouths shut more than we do?  We are not learning anything if we are talking.  We won’t hear what God is saying unless we are listening and not talking.  Sure, there are times in which we add valuable insights to what is being taught, but we benefit more from listening and learning than we do by talking all the time.

When we are in the presence of God, it is important that we don’t talk too much and make Him promises that we can’t, or won’t keep.  We sometimes say things in the emotions of the moment that we later realize were rash and we live to regret it.  It is foolish to make promises to God that we don’t keep.  God holds us accountable for the things we promise to Him. 

We wonder why it is that we don’t hear from God like we should.  We wonder why it is that there seems to be little real sense of God’s presence in our worship services.  Could it be that it’s because we have forgotten what it is like to be still and know that the Lord, He is God?  They that wait on the Lord shall be renewed in their souls and receive strength for their journey of life. 

Whether it is in public or private worship, put yourself in a position where you can hear from God and you will.