Skip to main content

The Prayer Tool of Silence and Sound - Hand Saw

Hand saws have been around for thousands of years. In woodworking and carpentry, hand saws cut pieces of wood into different shapes. The

hand saw has a flat, sharp edge with a handle at one end for manual operation.

“To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven...a time to keep silence, and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7).” Before the hand saw makes noise cutting the wood, the user practices sawing with a silent practice motion for accuracy. Sometimes the hand saw of prayer is silence so that you can hear the still, small voice. Elijah, the prophet, learned that God is not in the noise of the wind, fire, or earthquakes, but God is in the silence of a gentle whisper. (I Kings 19:11-12). Prayer can also be complete and total silence. “The Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him (Habakkuk 2:20).”

Prayer cannot be limited to silence. You need both silence and the sound of prayer. Sometimes prayer is making a joyful noise. “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise (Psalm 98:4).” The Psalmist David was a man of great prayer. In the Psalms, he experienced prayer as both the silence and the noise. He encouraged people to do both. David also described prayer, communication with God, to be the noise produced by singing, dancing, and playing instruments. “Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the tambourine and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals (Psalm 150:3-5).” 

God is diverse and cannot be limited to one form of expression. Be careful not to be extreme and exalt one expression over the other. Use your wrench of prayer as both stillness and movement. Use your hand saw of prayer as silence and noise. As you grow in Christ consciousness, you become proficient in all forms of communication with God and equip yourself to encourage others to do the same.

    

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

  Why Me? God’s Glory (Romans 8:18) Why? That's a question often in our Souls. Why is this happening to me? Why am I having this experience? Why am I facing this health challenge? There's an answer! Why am I having these relationship challenges? There’s an answer, and it’s the same one. Why am I having this financial challenge? There’s an answer! There’s an answer to every question in your Soul, and the answer is glory. The reason for every experience in your life is so that God can get the glory. The purpose of all our challenges is not to bring us down but to transform us and bring glory to God. Why am I having this test, this trial, this tribulation? So God can get the glory. Why am I experiencing this persecution, this headache, this pain? So, God can get the glory. Why am I witnessing this miracle, sign, or wonder? So, God can get the glory. Why am I having this challenge in my local assembly, in my ministry, in my business, and in my organization? So God can get the...
Post a Comment
Read more
The Sacred Sunday Posture:  Kneeling “ A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees; if you are willing, you can make me clean (Mark 1:40).” In addition to bowing your heads and closing your eyes, many people learn to “get on your knees and pray.” Often, it’s at night before going to sleep. Parents instruct their children to kneel on the side of the bed and say their prayers. Perhaps you have fond memories of kneeling and reciting the Lord’s Prayer or the 23 rd Psalm. Or maybe you were taught, like me, “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake. I pray the Lord, my soul, to take. God bless mommy, daddy...” Kneeling is a physical way to revere God as your Creator and remember that God is your Source. “Know that it is the Lord, who is God. It is he that has made us and not we ourselves. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3).” Without reverencing and ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Where Is the Love? Learning to Recognize God's Presence Through Galatians 5

  Where Is the Love?    One of my favorite duets is by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack: "Where Is the Love?" It asks, "Where is the love that you said you would give to me?" It's a timeless question and one that’s just as spiritually relevant today.    In Galatians 5 , Paul writes to the churches in Galatia about the contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. He helps believers understand how to discern what’s truly of God. And here's the spiritual compass: love is God's signature . "And envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."   Galatians 5:21 (KSB)    Whatever you do whether it’s cooking a meal or making a major decision ask yourself: "Where is the love?" Is love your motive? Is love present in your tone, your actions, your intentions?  Paul’s letter urges us to determine whether we are operati...
Post a Comment
Read more