Believing God – A Time to Be Silent

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven……. a time to keep silence and a time to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7

Receiving good news

In the account of Jesus’ birth given in the gospel of  Luke we’re told that right at the time of His birth in the town of Bethlehem the angel of the Lord visited shepherds in a field of the same country and told them the Savior had been born and where to find Him. Then the Bible says a host of heaven’s angels appeared praising God for the good news given unto the children of men. (Luke 2:1-11)

Video Devotional – Believing in Silence

A time to be silent

The shepherds then decided to go into the city to see the Savior and to tell Mary and Joseph all that the angel had shared. Many people gathered around as the shepherds told the story and they all began to talk among themselves about what had been spoken but Mary, the Bible says, “kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart,” Luke 2:19. In other words she stayed silent about what she had been told.

Then when Jesus was a young boy and went with Mary and his family up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover and it was time to go back home he stayed behind in the temple questioning and listening to the teachers without His parents knowing. When his parents realized that he wasn’t with them they went back to look for him but it took three days to find him.

When they finally found him Mary asked him why he had done such a thing. His answer to his parents was, “’Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ They did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. But his mother treasured up all these things in her heart,” Luke 2:49-51. Again, Mary kept the things in her heart.

Every time more was revealed about this holy Child of hers, Mary kept it her heart and pondered it.

This means she kept it in her thoughts but also to herself because there is wisdom in keeping silence until the time of fulfillment. The wisdom is this – you never know whose listening, friend or foe. Either can be dangerous to God’s plan, the one trying to make it happen and the other trying to stop it from happening.

However, there came a time for Mary to speak:

When Jesus grew older the Bible says:

There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” John 2:1-5

For years Mary surrendered her desire to speak about things that were being revealed to her because she knew it was a time to keep silence.

However, when Mary knew that the things that had been revealed to her about her Son were ready to be fulfilled then she spoke. She spoke to Jesus her Son but in reality it was to His purpose, His greatness and the Godhead inside of Him because it was time. The next thing we see is Jesus telling His disciples to go get water then showing forth His glory by doing His first miracle of turning water into wine (John 2:6-11).

Beloved, do you know how to keep silent?

Do you sometimes speak when you should keep silence? This may mean that you are not completely yielded to the Holy Spirit. The Lord desires to do many might things for you but you must learn to discern, as Mary did when you’re in a time to speak and when you’re in a time to keep silence.

My prayer for you is this: when the Lord reveals His plans and purposes to you for yourself, your children, your husband (present or future) or those you’re connected to you would ponder them in the sacred silence of your heart until you know that it is time to speak.