He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
Isaiah 53:7 ESV
Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy by remaining silent before His accusers prior to His crucifixion. This fact is surprising to read because it goes against everything in us as humans—we can’t imagine being falsely accused and not seeking to vindicate ourselves.
Jesus’ silence can teach us important lessons. Underneath His silence was an implicit trust in His Father and His purposes. Christ knew who He was and what He had come to do.
Perhaps He was praying silently as He stood before Pilate. It is often in the stillness of our lives that we hear God best. When we take time to think, meditate on scripture, pray, and reflect, we find that we can indeed hear the still, small voice. Many of us avoid quiet and solitude with constant noise and busyness. But important things happen in the silence. The Father can speak; we can listen. We can speak, knowing He is listening. Trust is built in silence, and confidence strengthens in silence.
Lord Jesus, help me to learn from Your silence. Help me to trust You more so that I don’t feel the need to explain myself. Give me the desire and the courage to be alone with You and learn to hear Your voice.
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Today’s reading was adapted from Daily Wisdom for Women: 2013 Devotional Collection with permission from Barbour Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading was written by Leah Slawson.