There is one pause in music of which the untrained singer does not know the value—the pause: it is not the cessation of the music; it is a part of it.

Before the tide ebbs or flows, there is always a time of poise when it is neither ebbing nor flowing.

In a Christian life that is to be effective, there will always be the pause and the poise.

The desert has been God’s training school for many of His prophets—Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Paul. But not all who come from Arabia are prophets, and God has other schools. Before the years of witness, there were the years of stillness. Every witness with a great message has these years. Let not the saints shrink from the discipline and training! The sightless days will mean a grander vision; the silent years, the sweeter song.

If the Lord puts you in the dark, it is but to strengthen your eyes to bear the glory that He is preparing for you; if He bids you be silent, it is but to tune your tongue to His praise. Remember that the pause is part of the music.

The great Composer writes the theme And gives us each a part to play; To some a sweet and flowing air, Smooth and unbroken all the way; They pour their full heart’s gladness out In notes of joy and service blent; But some He gives long bars of “rests,” With idle voice and instrument.

He who directs the singing spheres, The music of the morning stars, Needs, for His full creation’s hymn, The quiet of the soundless bars.

Be silent unto God, my soul, If this the score He writes for thee, And “hold the rest,” play no false note To mar His perfect harmony.

Yet be thou watchful for thy turn, Strike on the instant, true and clear, Lest from the grand, melodious whole Thy note be missing to His ear.

ANNIE JOHNSON FLINT

We would be better Christians if we spent more time alone, and we would actually accomplish more if we attempted less and spent more time in isolation and quiet waiting upon God.

The world has become too much a part of us, and we are afflicted with the idea that we are not accomplishing anything unless we are always busily running back and forth.

We no longer believe in the importance of a calm retreat where we sit silently in the shade.

As the people of God, we have become entirely too practical.

We believe in having “all our irons in the fire” and that all the time we spend away from the anvil or fire is wasted time.

Yet our time is never more profitably spent than when we set aside time for quiet meditation, talking with God, and looking up to heaven.

We can never have too many of these open spaces in life—hours set aside when our soul is completely open and accessible to any heavenly thought or influence that God may be pleased to send our way.

Someone once said, “Meditation is the Sunday of the mind.”

In these hectic days, we should often give our mind a “Sunday,” a time in which it will do no work but instead will simply be still, look heavenward, and spread itself before the Lord like Gideon’s fleece, allowing itself to be soaked with the moisture of the dew of heaven.

We should have intervals of time when we do nothing, think nothing, and plan nothing but simply lie on the green lap of nature and “rest a while” (Mark 6:31 KJV).

Time spent in this way is not lost time.

A fisherman does not say he is losing time when he is mending his nets, nor does a gardener feel he has wasted his time by taking a few minutes to sharpen the blades on his mower.

And people living in cities today would do well to follow the example of Isaac and as often as possible visit the fields of the countryside, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

After having grown weary from the heat and noise of the city, communion with nature is very refreshing and will bring a calming, healing influence.

A walk through a field, a stroll by a seashore, or a hike across a meadow sprinkled with daisies will purge you of the impurities of life and will cause your heart to beat with new joy and hope.

The little cares that worried me, I lost them yesterday, Out in the fields with God.

A poem for Christmas Eve:

BELLS ACROSS THE SNOW

O Christmas, merry Christmas, Has it really come again, With its memories and greetings, With its joy and with its pain!

Minor chords are in the carol And a shadow in the light, And a spray of cypress twining With the holly wreath tonight.

And the hush is never broken By laughter light and low, As we listen in the starlight To the “bells across the snow.”

O Christmas, merry Christmas, It’s not so very long Since other voices blended With the carol and the song!

If we could but hear them singing, As they are singing now, If we could but see the radiance Of the crown on each dear brow,

There would be no cry to cover, No hidden tear to flow, As we listen in the starlight To the “bells across the snow.”

O Christmas, merry Christmas, This nevermore can be; We cannot bring again the days Of our unshadowed glee,

But Christmas, happy Christmas, Sweet herald of goodwill, With holy songs of glory Brings holy gladness still.

For peace and hope may brighten, And patient love may glow, As we listen in the starlight To the “bells across the snow.”

FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL

"Desert sweetened." It was only a sign in a wayside fruit stand. But the golden grapefruit that it advertised took on new value! So will any life that follows the formula given by the Master: "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mark 6:31).

It was in the loneliness of desert reaches that some of the mightiest of the Old Testament prophets received their message: "Thus saith the Lord." In the desert Jesus met and mastered temptation. Out of a three-year desert retreat came Paul to be the greatest missionary of all time!

"Desert sweetened!" A quiet place at the beginning and the close of day. A "little chapel of silence"—"where, though the feet may join the throng, the soul may enter in and pray." Sunshine and silence—synonyms for the desert. May they bring special gifts of calm and courage and confidence—because we have kept our appointment with Christ in these moments of devotion! SELECTED

The road to the Promised Land of spiritual power always leads through desert places where "the still small voice" has a chance to be heard. GLENN RANDALL PHILLIPS

In the secret of His presence how my soul delights to hide! Oh, how precious are the lessons which I learn at Jesus’ side! Earthly cares can never vex me, neither trials lay me low; For when Satan comes to tempt me, to the secret place I go.

When my soul is faint and thirsty, ’neath the shadow of His wing There is cool and pleasant shelter and a fresh and crystal spring; And my Savior rests beside me, as we hold communion sweet: If I tried I could not utter what He says when thus we meet.

Only this I know: I tell Him all my doubts, my griefs, and fears. Oh, how patiently He listens! and my drooping soul He cheers.

Do you think He ne’er reproves me? What a false friend He would be If He never, never told me of the sins which He must see!

Would you like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord? Go and hide beneath His shadow; this shall then be your reward.

And whenever you leave the silence of that happy meeting-place, You must mind and bear the image of the Master in your face. ELLEN LAKSHMI GOREH

Let thy soul walk softly in thee Like a saint in heaven unshod, For to be alone with silence Is to be at home with God.

Quiet hearts are as rare as radium . We need every day to be led by the Divine Shepherd into the green pastures and beside the still waters. We are losing the art of meditation. Inner preparation is necessary to outer service.

“Rest pauses” contribute to the finer music of life. “Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray” (Luke 6:12). “As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed” (9:29). Therein we have the example of our Lord.

We have yet to learn the power of silence. Not in the college or academy , but in the silence of the soul do we learn the greater lessons of life and become rooted in spiritual inwardness.

The geologist says that certain crystals can only come to their perfect form in stillness. In the undistracted moment men are in touch with God and everlasting things.

The strenuousness of life and the increasing distractions of the world demand a zone of silence and the Quiet Hour .

“He said to them , ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (Mark 6:31–32). Let us find that spot every day, and the fellowship of silence. On such moments infinite issues hinge!

In every life There’s a pause that is better than onward rush, Better than hewing or mightiest doing; ’Tis the standing still at Sovereign will.

There’s a hush that is better than ardent speech, Better than sighing or wilderness crying; ’Tis the being still at Sovereign will.

The pause and the hush sing a double song In unison low and for all time long. O human soul, God’s working plan Goes on, nor needs the aid of man!

Stand still, and see! Be still, and know!

Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Jesus, . . . that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

[Jesus] said, . . . Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.