God of Silence, Your Words Go Out--Sept. 13, 2015

O, God of Silence, many and various

are your manners of speaking; your

voice goes out through all the earth,

your words to the end of the world.

And you speak through signs and

wonders, and through brave souls

who have been told not to speak.

In silence we hear you ask,

"What are you doing here?"

How shall we answer you?

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 19; 150; 81; 113

1 Kings 19:8-21

Acts 5:34-42

John 11:45-57

Selected Verses

Ps. 19:3-4

There is no speech, nor are there words;
          their voice is not heard;
yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
          and their words to the end of the world.

1 Kings 19:12-13

…and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.  When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.  Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Acts 5:40

…and when [the council] had called in the apostles, they had them flogged.  Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 

John 11:47-48

So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, “What are we to do?  This man [Jesus] is performing many signs.  If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.”