|
David Scudder
DaveBethel at gmail dot com Sr. Pastor of Bethel Chapel Church
Derick Scudder > Misc. comments from Bethel's youth leader
Doug Scudder > Current political perspectives
Bethel Chapel Church > Learn about Bethel Chapel Church
Bethel's Youth Group > Musings from Bethel's young people Kensington Neighorhood House > Our Outreach to Kensington |
What is more maddening than being ignored? You know the feeling. You walk into a store to buy something that they sell and that you assume they want to sell to you. You need some help but the person behind the register acts like you don’t exist. They might be busy or sometimes they’re just talking on their cell phone. Either way, you just want them to at least acknowledge that they know you exist. A man by the name of George Daacon put it this way, “In some stores you have to wait on yourself and in others they hire salespeople to ignore you.”
It’s tough when another person is ignoring us, especially if it is someone we care about. But it is even harder to take when we think that God is ignoring us. You know what I mean. You have a big problem so you decide to pray about it. After awhile it becomes apparent that God is not answering your prayer, at least not the way you think He should. Why is God being silent? Is God ignoring you?
A lesson that I have learned is that when God seems silent that does not mean that He is ignoring me. I was reminded of this truth as I was preaching from Revelation chapter 8 last week. Before God unleashes His final judgments on this world He starts with thirty minutes of complete silence. “When the Lamb [Jesus Christ] broke the seventh seal, [or opened the seventh chapter of the book] there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Revelation 8:1). God wasn’t ignoring the world. He was just silent.
Why was God silent? One thing we can learn is that God’s silence points to His complete confidence. We often panic, but God does not have to rush into anything, He is in complete control and He is under no obligation to act on our timetable. God’s silence reminds us that He is all powerful. God Himself tells us “I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
God’s silence also gives us an opportunity to trust His promises. When God says things like, “I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you’” (Isaiah 41:13) then we have to decide if we are going to believe it. If God gave us everything as soon as we asked, then we wouldn’t have any opportunities to trust His promises. If we love the Lord then we will want to please Him. The Bible says that the best way to do that is to trust God completely: “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith in God is not just an idea. Real faith in God will change how we live. Say, for example, a young child comes his parent and says that he’s getting hungry. The parent assures the child that dinner is in the oven that it will be out soon. The child should believe that a meal will arrive soon (assuming he/she has a good parent) and not panic. God tells His followers to “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10). If we really believe that then we won’t panic.
God’s silence is also an opportunity for us to seek Him even more vigorously. God’s silence does not mean that He has changed or that He has ceased caring. God’s silence means that He is giving us an opportunity to prove that we love Him by patiently trusting Him. God plainly tells us, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Jesus Himself said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
It’s also good for us to have times when we are silent before God. It’s good to talk to God, but it’s also important to listen to God. “But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20). Every Sunday morning (at 11 am) in the month of May we are learning about prayer. You are welcome to come and join us.
It’s tough when another person is ignoring us, especially if it is someone we care about. But it is even harder to take when we think that God is ignoring us. You know what I mean. You have a big problem so you decide to pray about it. After awhile it becomes apparent that God is not answering your prayer, at least not the way you think He should. Why is God being silent? Is God ignoring you?
A lesson that I have learned is that when God seems silent that does not mean that He is ignoring me. I was reminded of this truth as I was preaching from Revelation chapter 8 last week. Before God unleashes His final judgments on this world He starts with thirty minutes of complete silence. “When the Lamb [Jesus Christ] broke the seventh seal, [or opened the seventh chapter of the book] there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Revelation 8:1). God wasn’t ignoring the world. He was just silent.
Why was God silent? One thing we can learn is that God’s silence points to His complete confidence. We often panic, but God does not have to rush into anything, He is in complete control and He is under no obligation to act on our timetable. God’s silence reminds us that He is all powerful. God Himself tells us “I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
God’s silence also gives us an opportunity to trust His promises. When God says things like, “I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you’” (Isaiah 41:13) then we have to decide if we are going to believe it. If God gave us everything as soon as we asked, then we wouldn’t have any opportunities to trust His promises. If we love the Lord then we will want to please Him. The Bible says that the best way to do that is to trust God completely: “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith in God is not just an idea. Real faith in God will change how we live. Say, for example, a young child comes his parent and says that he’s getting hungry. The parent assures the child that dinner is in the oven that it will be out soon. The child should believe that a meal will arrive soon (assuming he/she has a good parent) and not panic. God tells His followers to “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10). If we really believe that then we won’t panic.
God’s silence is also an opportunity for us to seek Him even more vigorously. God’s silence does not mean that He has changed or that He has ceased caring. God’s silence means that He is giving us an opportunity to prove that we love Him by patiently trusting Him. God plainly tells us, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Jesus Himself said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
It’s also good for us to have times when we are silent before God. It’s good to talk to God, but it’s also important to listen to God. “But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20). Every Sunday morning (at 11 am) in the month of May we are learning about prayer. You are welcome to come and join us.
COMMENTS
Melissa on 2009-05-01 16:17:58
I often forget to sit and be quiet with God, but oh what a blessing it is! It's like just sitting down and snuggling up to a parent. I'm looking forward to the good weather this summer, as I love to sit out in nature, by a stream or something, and just be quiet before God.
I often forget to sit and be quiet with God, but oh what a blessing it is! It's like just sitting down and snuggling up to a parent. I'm looking forward to the good weather this summer, as I love to sit out in nature, by a stream or something, and just be quiet before God.
Ed on 2009-05-23 23:50:14
"Faith in God is not just an idea. Real faith in God will change how we live."
Faith is an Action, based upon a Belief, sustained by confidence. Acting on the belief of when God says it He'll do it or has done it. Forever O Lord thy Word is settled in Heaven. Taking of one of God's promises that fits the situation your in, and hanging your body on that promise as if it's the only thing that's gonna get you through to the other side of the problem that your having. You can't allow yourself to become disheartened when God becomes silent, that is the time you should hang on to His Word, and wait patiently for God to shine the light on the path of direction.
God tells His followers to “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).
God is at the forefront because He is creating our future, our future is God's past, this is why He is all powerful and can be silent. We gain faith in what we have seen in God's performence, past and present.
“I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you’” (Isaiah 41:13) This is true. As our Faith gets stonger, we won't fear, we know God will help us.
God Bless everyone Peace!
"Faith in God is not just an idea. Real faith in God will change how we live."
Faith is an Action, based upon a Belief, sustained by confidence. Acting on the belief of when God says it He'll do it or has done it. Forever O Lord thy Word is settled in Heaven. Taking of one of God's promises that fits the situation your in, and hanging your body on that promise as if it's the only thing that's gonna get you through to the other side of the problem that your having. You can't allow yourself to become disheartened when God becomes silent, that is the time you should hang on to His Word, and wait patiently for God to shine the light on the path of direction.
God tells His followers to “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).
God is at the forefront because He is creating our future, our future is God's past, this is why He is all powerful and can be silent. We gain faith in what we have seen in God's performence, past and present.
“I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you’” (Isaiah 41:13) This is true. As our Faith gets stonger, we won't fear, we know God will help us.
God Bless everyone Peace!
