Living Above the Noise

NOISE, NOISE, NOISE!!! 

Have you ever had one of those days where the world seems so noisy that it feels like it's drowning you out? It gets so loud that you can't even think straight.  You can feel the tension in your body and you know that you need to escape. When I have days like that I put on some good music.  I am a music lover.  I play music all the time.  My appreciation for music goes beyond just the sound the instruments make, the lyrics play a huge part in why I enjoy music. Good lyrics stick with you and give you the opportunity to reflect on them; they tell a story that you can relate to and cause an emotional reaction.  

Recently, I heard a song by Plum called Need You Now. (Here is the link)

http://youtu.be/9ylnx0NA9X4

The artist shared the story behind this song in a radio interview.  When she was a teenager she suffered anxiety attacks to the point where she would be hiding in a bathroom stall saying to herself, "Fear not, fear not."  Not everyone suffers from anxiety in such a life changing way, but most people will have some moments of anxiety in their lives that overwhelm them.  I know I have.   

There is one line from this song that has been running through my head: I'm trying to hear the still small voice, I'm trying to hear above the noise.  The thought of trying to hear above the noise struck a cord with me. It got me thinking about the noise in my life.  What is it that keeps me from hearing the still small voice? What is it that keeps me from feeling  peace instead of anxiety?  How can I control the noise in my life?

I started my research in the scriptures to see what they had to say about the noise in my life.  To be honest I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought to myself, "How noisy could it have been back then?"  You would think by now that I would stop being such a skeptic when it comes to applying the scriptures to the problems in my life! 

Here are some thoughts from my first study session on this topic: 

Noise of War

 In Exodus 32:17-19 it states:

17 And when ^aJoshua heard the noise of the people as they ^bshouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that ^ashout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

19 ¶And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he ^asaw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ ^banger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and ^cbrake them beneath the mount.

I have read this story many times, but I don't think that I have ever really pondered it in relation to the noise in my own life.  In verse 17 Joshua calls the noise, a noise of war. Who is the war against? From Moses' reaction it is apparent that it is against God. Are there people in my life that make 'noise' against God?  Of course there are.  Society has become accepting of the noise, it is everywhere.  The use of foul language on TV, in movies, at the grocery store, in the schools and in our homes is rampant.  The lyrics to many of today's popular songs promote sex, drugs, and crime. Video games that promote promiscuity, violence, crime sprees, and even murder are being played by children whose minds are not really capable of filtering the noise.  Sadly, the noise has become part of our everyday lives.

Why is it that the noise is so easily accepted? I don't know the answer to that.  I do know that it isn't just a modern day problem, it has been a problem since the Old Testament times.  Have you ever wondered why there weren't more people that came to warn Moses?  Joshua and Moses seem to be the only ones that recognize the noise for what it really is. Why is that?

If you go back to Exodus 24 you read that Moses and Joshua left together.  Where did they go? To the mount. Moses was going to receive the tablets and Joshua was waiting for him.  They were above the noise, seeking information from God.  I think there is a lesson in that.  I don't have to participate in the noise of the world.  I can choose to live above it by keeping near to God. 

Where is my mount of safety?  In my home, at my church, at the temple, and sometimes, out in nature.  But I think my mount of safety is more than just a place.  My family brings me safety, the scriptures bring me safety, even my friends bring me safety.  I am very blessed to have  so many opportunities for safety in my life.  

Something else that struck me in this story is the fact that because Moses and Joshua were not in the midst of the noise, but above it, they had a different perspective. Now I am not saying that we should look down on people, but when we feel like the noise is 'iffy' we need to get out of the situation, and look at it from a different perspective. If we do this, God will keep our perspective clear and help us recognize the noise that will keep us from hearing His voice.   

How do you know when the noise is 'iffy'? Joshua tells us in verse 18 that the noise he heard was not a call for courage or the cry of a people of being overcome, but the noise of them that sing do I hear.  His words give us an idea of what is questionable noise:

• If the noise leads us to less than courageous acts it is 'iffy'.  What is the noise asking us to do?  Does it lead us to God or away from God?
• Is the noise a cry for help or is it an invitation to join in on questionable behavior?
• Now the third one seems strange because it sounds like singing is bad.  Joshua isn't saying that he is concerned because the people are singing, but more so what they are singing about. Remember Moses and Joshua find the people worshiping the golden calf. These were songs of praise to the wrong god.  A good question to ask ourselves is does this noise praise God or condemn Him?

Last, but not least, we read of Moses' reaction to finding the people dancing and singing to the golden calf, he becomes angry, not just angry, but he is hot with anger.  What does this say about how we should feel about the inappropriate noise around us?  It should anger us.  Moses is so angry that it leads him to the action of breaking the tablets.  We should be angered into action.  With the proper perspective and the ability to hear above the noise, we will know what action should be taken for each instance of 'iffy' noise we encounter. 

I am sure there are many more lessons that can be gleaned from these verses, but these are the ones that stood out to me.  They have inspired me to look more closely at the noise that I let into my life and have increased my desire to live above the noise. I will continue to study this topic, searching for insights that can strengthen my mount of safety, that will call me to be courageous, and will lead me to the still small voice and the actions that I need to take.

I am so grateful for the good noise in my life that led me to this topic.  There is such great power in the noise of good music. It makes living above the noise so much more enjoyable!