Thursday, July 13, 2006

The Silence of God


I can't remember the last time i blogged twice in one day, and it won't become a habit...honestly, but i just heard this song on my ipod on random and the words are so achingly beautiful i have to put fingers to keyboard...

It's enough to drive a man crazy; it'll break a man's faith
It's enough to make him wonder if he's ever been sane
When he's bleating for comfort from Thy staff and Thy rod
And the heaven's only answer is the silence of God

It'll shake a man's timbers when he loses his heart
When he has to remember what broke him apart
This yoke may be easy, but this burden is not
When the crying fields are frozen by the silence of God

And if a man has got to listen to the voices of the mob
Who are reeling in the throes of all the happiness they've got
When they tell you all their troubles have been nailed up to that cross
Then what about the times when even followers get lost?
'Cause we all get lost sometimes...

There's a statue of Jesus on a monastery knoll
In the hills of Kentucky, all quiet and cold
And He's kneeling in the garden, as silent as a Stone
All His friends are sleeping and He's weeping all alone

And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot
What sorrow is carried by the hearts that he bought
So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
In the holy, lonesome echo of the silence of God
(Andrew Peterson from the album 'Love and Thunder')

6 comments:

mister tumnus said...

thanks for this. so beautifully put.

The Meaning Weakened by the Lies said...

Again im lost for words - I spent around 2 hours this morning arguing with a friend about God's recent silence towards me. How strange.
Do hope you can hear him.

Katie Hagley said...

And it's not often that I read your blog twice in one day - neither will this become a habit I promise.

I love this song but thanks for the reminder. Why can't they play honest songs like this in church instead of all that 'Jesus is my boyfriend' music (to put it a slightly more polite way than you might!).

mister tumnus said...

anyone read something called 'a tale of three kings' by gene edwards? this post made me think of it. i read i many years ago and all i can recall of it now is a refrain which goes something like, 'who knew the answer? god knew. but he never tells.'

there is something strangely comforting about that i think. for me anyway. it allows me to believe that which i feel to be true; that there is 'god'. but also to exist in that real place where, as wittgenstein put it, that which can't be said must be passed over in silence.

Nikita said...

gorgeous

The Harbour of Ourselves said...

MrT, it is indeed a beautiful book and one thast should grace the shelves of every home...