From Pastor (Dr) E. O. Abina,
The General Overseer of GOFAMINT
The General Overseer of GOFAMINT
THE SILENCE OF GOD!
“How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him"; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me” (Ps. 13).
The Christian’s life is full of challenges, just as it was with the people of God before we were born. The desert journey of the children of Israel was not an exception. Even the life of Abraham also was full of challenges. David, the man after God’s own heart had his own share of this subject matter – the silence of God. Sometimes at Christian journey, we feel the presence and the blessings of God flowing and coming; in our favour. Other times we pray, pray and pray, and it appears nothing good is in sight because there is no quick answer to our prayers. Then we are tempted to think that God is silent and has forgotten us entirely. Sometimes, we are also tempted to give up praying, thinking that God has shifted His care and mercy for us to another place and that may lead us to be helpless, ungrateful, lukewarm and resentful, if care is not taken. When David felt that God seemed not to heed his cry to defend him from his enemies, he cried, How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? But he did not end up in despair. He ended up by saying; I have trusted in Your mercy, My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD. Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
The Christian’s life is full of challenges, just as it was with the people of God before we were born. The desert journey of the children of Israel was not an exception. Even the life of Abraham also was full of challenges. David, the man after God’s own heart had his own share of this subject matter – the silence of God. Sometimes at Christian journey, we feel the presence and the blessings of God flowing and coming; in our favour. Other times we pray, pray and pray, and it appears nothing good is in sight because there is no quick answer to our prayers. Then we are tempted to think that God is silent and has forgotten us entirely. Sometimes, we are also tempted to give up praying, thinking that God has shifted His care and mercy for us to another place and that may lead us to be helpless, ungrateful, lukewarm and resentful, if care is not taken. When David felt that God seemed not to heed his cry to defend him from his enemies, he cried, How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? But he did not end up in despair. He ended up by saying; I have trusted in Your mercy, My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD. Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
