Selah

We are in the middle of a crazy busy season of life.  There is always something to do, always somewhere to go.  I state it as a fact – not a complaint.  With the chaos comes the knowledge that we are making progress on some very important life-goals.  Mike is getting his degree, we are each getting the opportunity to pursue some dreams, and we are loving the family God’s given us.  It’s life – beautiful and messy and crazy and full – all wrapped up in one day replayed day after day after day.

This weekend Mike was scheduled to speak a youth retreat for our friends and the whole family joined him.  It would seem that addition to the schedule would add more stress, but it was exactly the opposite.  It was beautiful.  We slept well.  We enjoyed the company of our dear friends.  We spent time together as a family.  We slowed down, we talked, we laughed and we loved every minute of it.

We experienced selah.

The concept of selah is found in the book of Psalms.  The book is comprised of passages of Scripture that are believed to have been songs sung by the ancient Israelites.  Selah is a phrase that instructs the reader or musician to pause and to reflect.  Selah is a beautiful picture of rest in the midst of something exciting – because as any musician understands, the rests in music are often as important to the piece as the notes are.

We needed selah this weekend.  It recharged us in ways we didn’t know we needed and gave us the gift of quiet in the midst of the music we live in.  Selah reminded us of the necessity of the rests in life and encouraged us to welcome their natural rhythm.

I hope the soundtrack of your life is accentuated by the beauty and regularity of selah as well.