Post 19

I thought that Mary Oliver’s poems from Thirst, were spiritually deep because it not only talked about the divine state of nature, but the importance of practicing solitude and silence. My favorite poem of the three we read is certainly “Six Recognitions of Love.” This is possibly because I feel like it focuses most on the importance of silence and obedience to God through it.

One of my favorite lines from the poem was “Then I enter the place of not-thinking, not remembering, not-wanting.” I believe that silence disciplines us to be patient and sensitive to God’s voice. But I also believe that silence helps us to simple just enjoy God and his creation. Silence provides an outlet for those words that ca not be spoken.

However, today’s culture has made it difficult to fully appreciate or even stand silence. We walk into a room, and for most, the immediate thing to do is to turn on the TV, iPod, stereo, computer etc. We have made it okay to ignore silence, which in turned has made it okay to ignore God’s sound. I am not trying to say that silence is the only place where one can soak in God’s presence. But I believe that silence is a divine gift from God that Mary Oliver highlights in her poems.

If we turn off all the noise that crams our minds and makes us feel too restless to truly think, we become numb to His spirit. I believe we understand ourselves and our place with Christ when solitude becomes a daily ritual in our lives. Silence is a discipline that demonstrates our obedience to God and I believe silence is crucial component when truly appreciating nature and it’s Creator.

“And we enter the dialogue of our lives that is beyond all understanding or conclusion. It is mystery. It is love of God. It is obedience.”