A GOD THAT HIDES HIMSELF -- Tomorrow:
"Truly, Thou art a God Who hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior" -- Isaiah 45:15
Jesus said, "no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me," and "neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him" (John 14:6; Matt 11:27).
Given this condition, the possibility of God hiding Himself should be apparent. A God that is transcendent can, by an act of His will, become obscure. We will find that He can, and does, do this even after we have come into Christ. It should be said that faith can continue to cling to the Lord during such times, fully convinced that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of those whom seek Him (Heb 11:6).
Faith does not demand either proof or pleasant experience. It will move Abraham to proceed with offering Isaac as a burnt offering to God, even though the outcome of it all had not been revealed to him (Gen 22:1-13). Faith can proceed on the basis of a Divine Word alone. Faith will compel Job to trust God, even when He is hidden, and it seems as though He is going to slay him (Job 13:15).
The faith-life will substantiate our absolute dependence upon God. At times, you will experience a sense of loneliness, even after you have tasted of the Lord. There will be occasions when the Lord will seem distant to you, even though "He is not far from every one of us" (Acts 17:27). This is why the Psalmist frequently prayed concerning His sensitivity to the Lord's presence. "Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help" (Psa 22:11). "This Thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O LORD, be not far from me" (Psa 35:22). "Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me" (Psa 38:21). "O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help" (Psa 71:12).
Elihu was correct in his assessment of God's identity with humanity. "When He giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when He hideth His face, who then can behold Him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only" (Job 34:29). When God hides Himself, no amount of human ingenuity or expertise can discover Him! The wells of earthly wisdom are dried up by a hidden God! And, God is a God that hides Himself.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I confess that I am most uncomfortable when I do not sense Your presence. Yet, in the name of Jesus, and through the strength that He imparts, I will trust You, even when I cannot find You.