The Silence Where God is Found
.
Psalms 62:5-8
For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
You may think this is coming from way out in left field. Last night our two dogs “escaped” the confines of our back yard. While our dogs are not exactly pampered, they have a really nice life! My son practically considers them siblings and we go to great lengths to have them cared for if we go out of town, etc. I’ve recently started making home-made doggie treat mixes and they get to not only sample them, they have each consumed an entire batch. We provide for them not only everything they
need, but so much more.
Our dogs are completely dependent upon us for their survival. So why would they run? Why would they leave their perfectly suited yard – where they can sun themselves on the driveway on a sunny day, and nap in the shaded far corner of the back yard? Why? It was dark. It was cold and rainy. It was very late. Though I was so very tired, and trying to remain calm so my son didn’t have a nervous breakdown, I really couldn’t be angry at the dogs. They can’t help it – they’re dogs! Dogs run! They long to explore the world “out there.” And they have no concept that they will not be provided for and cared for out in the world. I wonder if they think it’s really great of us to go get them and bring them back home after they’ve been out exploring for a couple of hours?
I don’t get angry with them, though. Because they act just like I do in my relationship with God. God is my rock and salvation; my fortress, and my all-sufficient provider. So why do I turn my back on Him? Why do I run from His presence and His counsel? I guess I’m not really going to be able to get away with saying that’s what we do (humans). But it’s true, isn’t it? Speaking for myself, I bask in God’s love and mercy when things are running on a pretty even keel. When things start getting a little rough, I begin to question Him. I become a bit haughty and can’t figure out why the path is suddenly rocky, and I’m feeling like I’ve been left hanging.
I don’t mean to insult anyone by comparing humans to dogs—it’s the behavior I’m paralleling here! God provides for us everything we need. And so much more! And yet, like my wayward pets, we think something better might just be out there, outside that protective fence that keeps us near Him and His Word. We think perhaps a better life, an easier path, something . . . something more awaits us. And we just can’t stand it. We can’t stand the silence where God is found. Our hope begins to waver with each setback. Our fortress begins to crumble when life throws us an unexpected loop.
God doesn’t change. He doesn’t falter or waver. God comes to get us when we’ve wandered too far away to find our way back in the cold and the rain and the dark. He loves us too much to just leave us alone. He is our all-sufficient source of life. And there is nothing in the world that will ever satisfy us except Him. Jesus died to make that point. Jesus died so we would not doubt or wonder about how much God loves us. There can be no question—because Jesus not only died on the cross, he arose as a new creature. And so shall we one day. If we can just make it through this life, the next one will be too wonderful for words!
My prayer today is that you will pour out your heart before God. And that you will not be shaken by the events of your day, because you know the source of your salvation.
Mary
