by Pastor Daniel 

Introduction
“Silence is golden”, is a common saying that we can appreciate in a world filled with buzzling busyness.  We all need to pause and be silent.  However, when the silence is prolonged it is no longer a pleasure.
 
The Silence Brought in
That was so in Israel.  It was a silence of more than 400 years, It was anything but golden or beautiful.  In fact, it was awful.  It is like a bride and groom who have not spoken for 400 years. 
 
More so, when the Lord had been speaking to Israel so loudly throughout the Old Testament.  Guidance was given, prophecies were made, visions were revealed, signs and wonders were manifested.  God spoke through men, angels and even animals.  Then after the prophet Malachi, there was dead silence for 400 years.
 
The Silence Broken
There is this proverb that says, “It is so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.”  That must be very quiet indeed and the sound of the pin dropping could be so loud that you could not have missed it.
 
That was what happened when we turned to the New Testament.  God finally spoke.
 
God broke the silence. God always makes the first move.  (Perhaps this is a lesson for us as man - when there is a silent war in the family, the groom must always make the first move.  It does not matter who is right and who is wrong.  God did not wait - He made the first move.)
 
Has there been times of silence from God? What happens when God breaks the silence, and what happens when the silence is broken?
 
In Luke chapter 1, God boldly breaks the silence. There had been no vocal prophet of the Lord for 400 years, and there, in the temple in Jerusalem, God sent an angel to speak words that shook a man to his very core.
 
Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. (Luke 1:13)
 
The very first words spoken to anyone from the Lord are about a birth of a son – a son that was prayed for. Yet, it was met by Zacharias’ unbelief.
 
God’s silence breaking doesn’t end there – He sends yet another angel, Gabriel, to bring a young girl a message. This message had similar characteristics of the last message – except for the response:
 
Do not be afraid, Mary, fro you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus, He will be great, and will be called the Son of the highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end. (Luke 1:30-33)
 
Then Mary said, Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. (Luke 1:38)
 
The Spoken Responses
When God spoke, He made it known to all.  It is interesting that God spoke to two persons here, one from a priestly position and one from a commoner position.  This is the grace of our God.  God speaks to all.  Perhaps we are not hearing well. 
 
The responses may be different.  Ironically the priest doubted, the commoner believed.  It is ironical because this is not what we expected.  However, when God speaks, it has the same purpose - the working out of the plan of God. 
 
Conclusion
As I was meditating, I was asking, “If God were to speak, to what end would it be?”  Many times we think it should satisfy our need.  While it may be true at times, ultimately it is about the purposes of God in and through our lives.  May we be like Mary responding, “Let it be to me according to your word (your plan, your purposes).”  This Christmas season, may we seek to be a blessing.