The Ticking Watch 表滴答声
Dexu Xia
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7
A group of workers were cutting ice out of a frozen lake and storing it in an icehouse when one of them realized he’d lost his watch in the windowless building. He and his friends searched for it in vain.
After they gave up, a young boy who’d seen them exit went into the building. Soon, he emerged with the watch. Asked how he’d found it, he replied: “I just sat down and kept quiet, and soon I could hear it ticking.”
The Bible talks much about the value of being still. And no wonder, for God sometimes speaks in a whisper (1 Kings 19:12). In the busyness of life, it can be hard to hear Him. But if we stop rushing about and spend some quiet time with Him and the Scriptures, we may hear His gentle voice in our thoughts.
Psalm 37:1–7 assures us that we can trust God to rescue us from the “wicked schemes” of evil people, give us refuge, and help us stay faithful. But how can we do this when turmoil is all around us?
Verse 7 suggests: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” We could start by learning to keep silent for a few minutes after prayer. Or by quietly reading the Bible and letting the words soak into our hearts. And then, perhaps, we’ll hear His wisdom speaking to us, quiet and steady as a ticking watch.
How can you be still before God each day? What will help you stay silent and listen?
Loving God, grant me the patience and discipline to stay still for a while each day, that I might hear Your gentle whisper in my life.
表滴答声你当默然倚靠耶和华，耐性等候祂。—诗篇37篇7节
一群工人忙着从结冰的湖面切下冰块，并运进一间没有窗户的冰屋存放。其中一位工人发现他的手表遗失在屋里了，他和其他工人们一起回去寻找却徒劳无功。
就在大伙都放弃从屋里走出来的时候，一位年轻的男孩却走了进去。没过多久，这男孩就带着手表出来了。大家问他是怎么找到的，他说：“我安静地坐着，很快就听到手表发出的滴答声。”
圣经多处提到安静的重要性，自然有其道理，因上帝有时是用微小的声音向我们说话（列王纪上19章12节）。忙碌的生活使我们很难听到上帝的声音，但若能停下匆忙的步调，花点时间安静地读圣经亲近上帝，或许就能听到上帝在我们的意念中发出微小的声音。
诗篇37篇1-7节向我们保证，我们可以信靠上帝，祂能救我们脱离恶人的计谋、成为我们的避难所并帮助我们坚定信心。但当环境动荡时，我们该如何信靠上帝呢？
第7节指出：“你当默然依靠耶和华，耐性等候祂。”我们可试着在祷告结束后静默几分钟，或安静地读圣经，让上帝的话语渗入心中。也许，我们能藉此听到上帝以祂的智慧之言对我们说话，如同手表的滴答声虽然微小却毫无间断。
你如何每天在上帝面前静默一段时间？
有什么方法可以帮助你安静聆听？
慈爱的上帝，请赐我耐心，每天都能在祢面前静默一段
时间，让我的心能听见祢的温柔细语。