The Imprint of Quiet

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. (Psalm 84:1-7 ESV).

In Ancient Chinese philosophy, yin and yang is a concept of dualism, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. Of course, I am not advocating for Chinese philosophy, or for that matter any other philosophical point of view other than Christianity; however, there is a message here that is underscored in our reading today. Action and stillness are both necessary for a well-rounded life. We might tend toward one or the other, with action perhaps more to our liking in our fast-paced world today. Yet I also sense that a longing for quiet asserts itself at times. Our reading bears the imprint of quiet: “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD” (v. 1). The swallow nests quietly with her young near God’s altar. Yet caring for the young is also about action. Psalm 84 pictures a balance of both quiet and action. “Ever praising you” is an example of continual action while enjoying the quiet blessing of dwelling with God. “Blessed are those … whose hearts are set on pilgrimage”; they move from quiet reflection to action, going “from strength to strength” till they appear before God. Being “a doorkeeper in the house of my God” sounds like a quiet responsibility, and yet one “whose walk is blameless” leads a life of action. Whether you are sheltering in place, quarantined, in voluntary isolation, or socially distancing yourself from others, please remember the balance necessary for peace. We need vigorous action and sweet quiet; and, we need them in the proportion to what God ordains for us. As the psalmist puts it, “Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” One of the tools I often turn to is my writing. Whether you have been a “writer” in the past or not, use this time to jot down some of your thoughts and emotions. Write some letters to your children or grandchildren about this time in your life and theirs. These words will become cherished memories for them late. The Lenten season is a great time to focus on both your action and our quiet.