“Not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.” What is it about silence that makes us nervous, scared, worried, anxious? We tend to avoid silence and want to fill it with noise, conversation, music, phones, games. Silence is a gift from God. A gracious gift where we can enter into his most sacred presence; where we can enter into his grace. In the sacred silence, we can hear our heartbeat. We can hear the whisper of God’s voice. In the sacred silence we speak to ourselves, our true selves. In the silence, we hear God’s voice. Are you afraid of the silence? Are you afraid what your true self will say to you? Are you afraid that God may actually speak to you? Are you afraid of what he might say? Eliminate the distractions around you. Go to that sacred space. Enter into the silence. Enter into your heart.  Enter into God’s presence. Come be with the Lord. O Lord, what a gracious gift it is to enter into your sacred silence, into your sacred peace. I long for those quiet moments; I seek your face. I long for those moments where nothing distracts me but only attracts me more to you. I long for that deep prayer in the silence of my heart, contemplating your great mysteries, experiencing your great love. O Lord, how I long for the silence to hear your sweet voice gently correcting me, gently holding me, gently loving me, pulling me close.  How I long for those moments when I can hear nothing but the sound of my heart. I wait, anticipate as the thirst and hunger grow. I am filled with the hope of entering into your presence and hearing your tender voice. O my Lord, how you inspire us in the silence and teach us how to pray.  How you share great moments with us and encourage us to stay; stay in the prayer, stay in the moment, live for this moment, remain in your love. Take me to that place, that sacred space where the world cannot interrupt, no one can disturb, nothing can distract, where nothing really matters. There is simply you. You loving me and me loving you in the silence of my heart. “Sacred silence, holy ocean, gentle water, washing over me. Help me listen, Holy Spirit, come and speak to me.”