12.1.23 - Psalm 100: 1-2
In what ways do you need to connect with God and others this weekend? How do your experiences with silence and music impact your relationship with God and the world around you?
Shout happily to God, all the earth. Serve God cheerfully. Come into Their presence with a joyful song. Realize that God alone is God.
As someone who has always had a sensitivity to noise, I welcome silence. It calms my nerves and returns my body to a less anxious state.
For some, driving home with music brings a lot of joy. Listening to music at home motivates them to clean the house, or finish whatever task is before them.
For me, I’m going to choose silence. In those quiet moments, I find peace and calm, the opposite of the noisy world around me. (The opposite of this joyfully noisy Psalm?)
Like most others, I love music. It’s not my first choice, but when I do listen, I notice how music brings connection, evokes emotion, and even provides a healthy dose of empathy.
Silence and music alike can become a sanctuary to commune with God. No matter our sensory experience or needs, we can each come before God with joy. No one way is right or wrong. Sometimes joy comes with noise and other times it's found in the silence from a noisy world.
In what ways do you need to connect with God and others this week? How do your experiences with silence and music impact your relationship with God and the world around you?
--Amanda Creek