Hello! Is anyone there?

“I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; 

I stand up, but you merely look at me." 

Job 30:20

Have you ever felt that God has his phone on silent when you call?  

Do you wonder sometimes where God is when you feel you need him most?

A few nights ago, as I prayed in the night, this thought ran through my mind, "Hello!  Hello!  Is anyone there??"  It was a random thought, but it's one that had origin in a sense that my prayers aren't being answered or heard.

We all have those times when it seems heaven is silent.  

I have a pastor friend in Kenya, Winstone, who has been begging God for help with his needs and has, in many ways, finally given up.  His post yesterday was, "Your will be done."  It's a white flag to God.  I give up! I've prayed and you don't answer. I've asked and you do nothing. You know my need....where are you?

Hello!  Is anyone there?

And yet I know God is there, he is listening, he loves us, he cares and he can do anything....so what's going on?  Why does it seem that there are times when heaven is silent?

Often we feel like King David, who wrote of his times of silence, 

"Do not hide your face from your servant; 

answer me quickly, for I am in trouble."

Psalm 69

and,

Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. 

Do not hide your face from me 

or I will be like those who go down to the pit. 

Psalm 143

Prayer is a wonderful and confusing part of my life.  

I know God hears, I know he sees, 

I know he understands everything about me, 

my needs, my desires....

honestly he knows everything....

and yet, often, when I pray.....he is silent.

Doesn't he know I need help?

Doesn't he see how bad things are right now?

Doesn't he care?

Ahhh, and that's the core issue isn't it?  

At the heart of all of this is a sense that 

when God is silent he doesn't care.  

He doesn't care about me,

my needs or my situation.

But I know the truth is just the opposite.  

I'm his dearly loved son. 

He knows my needs and is working 

for his glory and my good in everything.  

Nothing is too small for him to care about 

or deal with,

but when heaven is silent I must wait.

I must wait for God.

We don't like to wait and so we try to bully God..."don't you care? Don't you love me?

Can't you see I 'need' this?"

And yet heaven may be silent still.  I find I cannot bully God. I've tried! I really have.  He just smiles, pats me on the head and I wait for him.

Hello!  Is anyone there? 

YES!  The God of glory is there...working for his glory and my good...and often it means I must wait, be still and as David wrote in Psalms, "Hush and know that I am God."

When it seems God isn't taking your calls don't give up. He's working and you will be amazed at what he does.