God, Where in the Heaven Are You, part 2

Do you see the "angel" in the background overlooking my granddaughter, Kendall?

We began looking yesterday at God removing His sense of presence from us. Why? Here are some thoughts.

1. First, God reveals Himself to those seeking Him. Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I was seeking Him as best I knew. He was still silent.

2. Another issue. God desires intimacy with us. Hosea 6:6 LB “I don’t want your sacrifices – I want your love; I don’t want your offerings – I want you to know Me. Verse 3: Oh, that we might know the Lord. Let us press on to know Him and He will respond to us as surely as the coming of dawn or the rain of early spring.” Intimacy involves spending time with the Person. Frequently, our busy lifestyles obscure that time-involved intimacy. I certainly had sufficient time to spend with God – and did, but still – silence.

3. Proverbs 3:32 indicates that God is not indiscrimately intimate, but is so with the upright – the person who is honest and seeking to rid any kind of godlessness in his life. That was my desire.

4. Jesus reveals more and more of Himself to those who are obedient. John 14: 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." As far as I knew I was being obedient.

5. Sometimes we play God, trying to control others. Trying to persuade God through prayer to comply with our agenda. Being extremely prideful of our accomplishments. Like King Nebuchadnezzar as seen in Daniel chapter 4 who exalted himself above God. Neb was removed from power and consigned to dwell with the beasts of the field until seven years later he recognized God as God. Daniel 4: 34 “I raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me.” Life is more productive when we are humble enough to realize God is God and not us. Pride can be so subtle and it is a life long challenge to allow God to “depride” us - to humble us. I believe that was one of the reasons for God’s silence with me.

6. Lastly, that which pleases God is faith. Faith not only comes from knowing and applying the Scriptures but it becomes exercised during God’s silent times. It has been said, “When we can’t see God’s hand, we can trust His heart.” God’s silence was a faith builder for me, not at the time but in retrospect. It was a transition period of my life – from one of pursuing achievement and approval to the desert in the dark night of the soul. God was preparing me for a 180 in my life. A path of brokenness that propelled me into relationships, not performance, out of which has developed a deep life of joy, contentment and fulfillment. I’ve never been more content than now at the age of 68.

Recall with me portions of the Psalm 13:1-6 passage we used yesterday. How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? …. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.
Notice the Psalmist’s words “But I trust.” Underneath his confusion and frustration about God’s withdrawal from him, David demonstrated an underlying, “but I trust You, God.”
When we can’t see God’s hand, we can trust His heart.