Silent Prayer is an Oxymoron

6/20/2012

I have often heard this statement made in schools, public gatherings and even in some churches. "Let's take a moment for silent prayer." I marvel because "silent prayer" is an oxymoron. An oxymoron is a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect. Silent and prayer are contradictory.

Ecclesiastes 3 teaches us that there is a time and place for everything. There is a time for war, there is a time for peace, there is a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing and there is a time to speak and a time to keep silent. There are times when we should even be silent before the Lord.

Zephaniah 1:7
Be silent in the presence of the Lord God; For the day of the Lord is at hand, For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests.

Out of all of scripture there is only 30 minutes of silence recorded in heaven. The rest of the time there is lots of loud prayer, praise and worship.

Revelation 8:1
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Prayer is communication with our Lord. Silence is silent. (Brilliant deduction don't you think?) It communicates................... NOTHING. Silent prayer is a contradictory statement. It is a term made up by people who make statements like this. I will "lead from behind, make haste slowly or this is cruel kindness."

Jesus when teaching on how to pray said in Luke 11:2 "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

So, "I'm just saying;" when you pray, don't be silent!

Tim

6/20/2012 02:14:57 am

Alison emails and says "Do you really think there is no such thing as silent prayer? Hannah prayed in her heart. Sometimes when it would be inappropriate to speak aloud, I pray with words in my mind."

Excellent observation Alison which will help make make a distinction in what I'm trying to communicate. Here is the scripture:

1 Sam 1:10-15
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. 11 Then she made a vow and said, "O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."

12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!"

15 But Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
NKJV

Hannah had been praying, speaking until she had no strength. As she spoke in her heart, her lips were still moving, but human ears could not discern what she "spoke."

Spoke is the Hebrew word dabar;and is used figuratively (of words), to speak. In the King James Version this word is translated to answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use [entreaties], utter, well, work.

Communication occurred as "she spoke" within her heart. Hannah was not silent. It was just not perceptible to Eli.

When in a gathering and people invite "silent prayer." How many minds wander? How many minds are truly silent, empty, void, with no communication? This is not prayer. This is truly silence.

Hence, there is no such thing as silent prayer. "When you pray say..."

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Silent Prayer is an Oxymoron

Tim Taylor

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