A GOD THAT HIDES HIMSELF -- Tomorrow:
"Truly, Thou art a God Who hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior" -- Isaiah 45:15
An awareness of the necessity of Divine help is evident in this plea. Nor, indeed, is there any reason to suspect the prayer was driven by the guilt of sin. A deep sense of need and a conscience contaminated with guilt are not the same thing.
Somehow, a highly technological age and the delusion of self-sufficiency has obscured this truth (Psalm 27:9) to multitudes. The spiritually sensitive person is not comfortable with a distant God--i.e., distant by perception. The carnal, on the other hand, are not comfortable with a present God. After Adam and Eve sinned, they could not be at ease in the presence of the Almighty. That same condition prevails until people taste and see that the Lord is good (Psa 34:8). Once that "taste" is realized, being forsaken by God is a dreaded fear. "Hide not Thy face from me" is the plea of one who has walked with God. It also is an acknowledgment that such an experience is possible.
"Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my supplication" (Psa 55:1). Prayer is not mere therapy. One common perception of prayer sees it as primarily therapeutic; i.e., it does the soul good to pray, whether there is an answer or not. This is a very foolish thought, and is to be rejected forthrightly by everyone who bears Christ's name. If God does not hear us, prayer is totally without value. It is possible for prayer to be in vain. " . . . for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto Me for their trouble" (Jer 11:14). " . . . though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them" (Ezek 8:18). "Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but He will not hear them: He will even hide his face from them at that time . . . " (Micah 3:4).
Who is the person that dares to imagine such prayers--rejected prayers--could be helpful to those praying them!! I understand there were reasons why God made these statements. It is not my objective to delineate those reasons here. The point to be seen is simply this; we are not to take God's attentiveness for granted. Those who walk with God do not want Him to hide His face from their supplications. That is the attitude to be entertained.
"And hide not Thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily" (Psa 69:17). "Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline Thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily" (Psa 102:2). Even though man is "born unto trouble" (Job 5:7), godly people do not want to pass through it without the Lord. That is the time to be hidden in "His pavilion" (Psa 27:5). The very thought of facing "trouble" without a lively sense of the presence of the Lord is frightening to the believer. He knows that God is a God that hides Himself, but let Him not do it in the time of trouble. Our strength is not sufficient to carry us through such times, and we know it.
"Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not Thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit" (Psa 143:7). It is possible for godly people to experience a dissipation of their strength. Sorrows can come like waves over the soul, increasing in intensity until failure appears imminent. The Psalmist was experiencing a depletion of strength, and expresses it in this psalm. Paul experienced similar things when imprisoned. Of one such occasion he wrote, " . . . Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellowsoldier . . . was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" (Phil 2:25-27). The Apostle often found himself in challenging circumstances. " . . . in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness" (2 Cor 11:23-27). Do not think for one moment that these things were faced with consistent calmness of soul. There were times when the Apostle was "abased," suffering both "hunger" and daily "need," being brought low (Phil 4:12).
These are the times when "speedy" answers to pray are sought; times when the individual pleads with the Lord not to hide His face!
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You that I do not have to pass through troubles and difficulties alone. I also confess to You that I do not want to do so. In Jesus' name, let me see Your face more clearly when the waves of trouble and sorrow are pounding against my soul.