Testimony

Psalm 93:6 (from the 1748 Book of Common Prayer) Thy testimonies, O Lord, are very sure: holiness becometh thine house for ever. Psalm 19:7 (from the 1748 BCP) …the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom to the simple.

There are a number of songs about testimony, such as Melissa Etheridge’s “I want to testify” which of course dates this writer. I grew up in the Baptist tradition which would call on attendees every once in a while to offer a testimony about what God was doing in their lives. Thankfully the Episcopal Church tends not to do that, but as seen in the above Scripture, we relate testimony to God. According to my online dictionary, a testimony is evidence, a declaration. And what exactly is God’s testimony? From Psalm 19, it’s the creation itself. From Psalm 93, it’s again God’s presence in the world. Some people say they find God in nature, others not so much. I find God more in silence than anything or anywhere else. Yes, I love to be outdoor, especially now in winter when the world seems so still. But I find God’s testimonies to be present in the voicelessness of simply being. As if God is promising to me that for which I most long: holy presence. Not words, just quiet and listening with my own heart for God. We do not need a voice from God to clarify what God’s testimony is; we simply need to be still and allow God to speak and affirm that in the midst of world outrage, God endures.