The Sound of Silence

"First God created two part harmony. And then there was Simon and Garfunkel." I don't know who wrote those words, but I certainly believe that they are true. The shatteringly wistful voices of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel give life to the lyrics that Simon penned more than forty years ago.

As I was scrolling through Facebook catching up with friends and family,the words to an old Simon and Garfunkel tune started running through my head. While I can't imagine the song being unfamiliar, I'll break down why it appeals to me so. To start, look at the first verse:

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

If you've never been in the country at night, you may not be able to imagine a silence so absolute. There's a funny thing about that night silence, however. The longer you listen, the more you hear. Depending on where you are, you may hear the croaking of frogs, or the call of an owl, the cry of a wild cat, or the bark of a restless dog. Have you ever thought about what it is that you're hearing? I hear, and see, God. His voice and His presence resonate within me.

Let's look at another verse. In the fourth verse, Simon writes of listening:

Fools, said I, You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach to you
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

Could not that be God's voice beseeching us? Asking us to hear His words, to heed His call? And, just like Paul Simon so eloquently wrote, His voice falls on sometimes deaf ears. We ignore Him until we are in need. Why do we wait? Why do we choose to live in silence?

God's symphony is all around us. Let us listen with open ears ... and an open heart. Even in the silence, God is present.

God, I pray daily for your strength to aid me. I love hearing your presence in the silence, for it tells me that I am not alone. Thank you for blessing me with the ability to hear you.


"For your name's sake, LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant."~Psalm 143:11-12 NIV