Exodus 14:14- "The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." (ESV)
I have always been a talker. There are few things, if not nothing, in life I find more enjoyable than conversation. This has been true of me since childhood.
As a child my Mom would often "silence" me periodically. This usually came at times when she could not escape my constant chatter by leaving the room. I remember riding in the car once and her saying, "Annie, you are not allowed to speak for the next 5 minutes." I was astonished, hurt, and obviously still bear the scars. I just couldn't understand why I needed to be quiet; I had IMPORTANT things to say. I remember holding back a tantrum in the passenger seat wondering why it is that my Mom had said such a thing.
With not much age, and even less wisdom, I now see that my mothers ONLY hope to get me to stop speaking, was for her to force me. She had a job to do: driving me to my destination....and if I didn't SHUT UP, she would go crazy instead of accomplishing her task.
Coming out of the past 6 months of life, I am beginning to realize that God has been forced to shut me up! I have not stopped moving, thinking, and talking to myself, Him, and everyone around me. I have planned, organized, calculated, strategized, broken down, cried, and started again. At the end of it all, what choice did He have but to say, "Annie, you are not allowed to speak. No matter how important you believe what you are saying is."
He has somewhere He is taking me, and while He may not go crazy if I keep talking, I am sure the ride would be more enjoyable for me if I would just believe His promise: "you have only to be silent."
May we believe He is who He says He is.
