A Day-by-day devotional

June 23, 2023

Do you 4‘33“?

Chronological One Year Bible Reading Plan: 2 Chronicles 21:16-26

Scripture of the Day: Matthew 11:28-30

To pray in the silence of our hearts, when taken literally, is probably a wrong concept. When attached to a living human body, a healthy human heart at rest beats between 60 to a hundred times per minute. The heartbeat generates a ‘lub-dub’ sound due to the rhythmic closing of the heart valves as blood is pumped into and out of the chambers.

This sound is heard with a stethoscope. Interestingly, when one enters an anechoic chamber, which is a room that inhibits sound reflection, you would not be able to hear your own voice while inside of one. Interestingly, however, you could hear a high sound produced by the nervous system and a low one which is from the circulating blood.

Silence cannot be fully achieved. That was the realization of the composer John Cage, inspiring him to write his musical score known as 4‘33“. Although made up of three movements, and written for any instrument, solo or group, not one sound comes out of those instruments during the performance. It relies solely on the sounds generated from the environment, which the audience hears. The sheet music is made up of notation comprised solely of rests. The duration of the first ever performance of the piece lasted four minutes and thirty three seconds.

Whenever we sleep, we enter a state of rest. For a moment, we transcend from chaos into silence. Everything that transpired during the day – from work, relationships, hobbies, be it good or bad, are melted away by a good night‘s sleep. During sleep, our worn-out cells are replenished, enabling us to wake up to a day with renewed strength and energy.

We all need rest, which is usually made possible when we shut down from most of our conscious activities. This is most of the time provided by the silence of sleep. Proof that everyone needs rest is that even God, who made heaven and earth, rested after He finished His creation. Jesus is often found going to a solitary place to rest.

Our day-to-day activities can be totally exhausting. With God’s foreknowledge, He designed a way for us to regain strength. This is in the form of rest and sleep.

The world is a busy place. Our workload may not even allow us a decent rest. Thoughts running in our heads even during periods where we aim to rest could disrupt our sleep. But where the presence of the Lord is, even though there is turmoil surrounding it at the outset, there would always be peace. The Lord promised, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest (Exodus 33:14). Furthermore, He blesses us with sound sleep (Psalm 127:2).

It is probably impossible to generate wholistic and pure silence, even with complete rest, as in the musical notation of 4‘33“. Nonetheless, with God, in His presence, we find rest and peace.

Reflection: Be still. Let your wild thoughts run free, but don’t chase after them. The Lord is God. Rest in Him. After all, that is what He invites us to do. He said, we should come to Him, for He gives rest.

Prayer: Lord, after all the things that transpired today, thank you for the rest that you provide. Let me be still, and know that you are God! Amen.