Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Where is God when I need Him?

Exodus 17:7  “Is the Lord here with us or not?” (NLT)

You begin a new venture, confident of the Lord’s direction.  You make some serious decisions, a change in direction, and it is awesome to see how God works even in the details, putting it all together.  He used His Word to open your eyes and heart to something new or different that He wanted to do in your life.  As you prayed and sought clarity and peace, He made it so clear through circumstances, counsel, and a dozen other ways, that He was leading.  Yes it would be a jump, a dive into the deep end so to speak, a leap of faith.  But you were going with God, so it would be ok!  You head out, and God is doing some pretty cool stuff!

Then, you hit the first snag, the bump in the road. Things start to get hard, a little cloudy.  Before you know it you’re experiencing a full-blown storm, a dark and turbulent time.  

LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU.  Don’t let the first question of your hurting heart be, “Is the Lord here with us or not?”  This is a faith walk, a journey of trust.  And believe me, God is right there.  

This faith walk was something new for the children of Israel.  Moses definitely had his hands full leading this bunch out of Egypt.  They had seen the greatest works of God this side of creation,  “God’s mighty hand” at work on their behalf; He delivered them from their bondage,  heard the cries of their hearts, the woeful prayers for help.  But after a short stint in the desert heat, they were lamenting before Moses that they would be better off having stayed in Egypt (as slaves, being treated horrendously!).  They were without water.  It was a serious dilemma.  They would most definitely die without it.  So naturally they wondered...and verbalized expressly to Moses...WHERE WAS GOD!?  If He had truly led them out of Egypt, performed all those great and powerful acts, for them, then where was He now?  Would He rescue them from injustice, cruel mistreatment, slave labor, and certain death when Egypt’s army pursued them, hold back the waters of the Red Sea making a pathway of escape, just to allow them to perish in the desert for lack of water?  

Maybe they didn’t follow that same thought process.  Maybe all they could think about was the present reality.  The need was real.  The immediate circumstance was pressing in on them so all thoughts of the future and a purpose in their problem may have left them.  They needed a reminder that He was in fact there. And God showed Himself very real and very powerful and very present, again.  He provided water, in the desert, from a rock.

God help us not to shrink in the shadows of uncertainty, not to abandon all thoughts of your goodness and greatness when we can’t see You, can’t feel You, can’t understand what or why.  Help us never to doubt your sweet presence, your powerful presence.  Remind us how clear things were in the beginning, how strong the sense of direction and decision.  Help us trust you completely, and calmly wait while you work, until once again there is no doubting this was a God-thing!

Where is God?  He’s right where He has always been...where you are.