God's Presence

God's Presence
Exodus 23-25 | Psalm 25 | Romans 4

The Christian life is not always an easy one. With the possibility of persecution and the frustration of continuing sin, a believer may become disheartened in their walk with God. However a more potent negative impact will often result from a feeling that God is not listening to your prayers - that He is "far off".

Today's Psalm is David's repeated cry to God for guidance in His will: "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths" (v.4). Note the plurals in this verse: "your ways" and "your paths". David is seeking the general will of God in his life; his prayer is free of self interest and is genuinely seeking of God's total guidance.

I find it amazing (in hindsight) how often my prayers "seek guidance" from God in how to do something my own way or how to do something I want. While David's approach is that of patient persistence in seeking God's reply (vv.5,15), my approach demanded that God aid me in my own schemes!

David did not pray with set ideas of what he wanted: his most direct plea in this regard is that God would 'redeem Israel from all her troubles' (v.22). Yet David's need for persistence and patience in seeking God's guidance indicates that his experience is similar to many others: that God answers prayers in His own way and in His own time. We who seek God's guidance should, remembering this, similarly be patiently persistent. It is truly folly to expect a sign such as a thunder clap! Trust God to show you His will in His way.

It remains that many believers unfortunantly, and often subconsciously, interpret "unanswered" prayers as an indication that God is far off. In my experience, similar feelings within myself result from my own expectations of God's response; whereas hindsight reminds me that God has indeed listened and responded to all my prayers: my "unanswered" prayers had simply been answered in an unexpected fashion. In this way my own desires clouded my view of God's actions in my life and led to my misguided assessment that God was "far off".

God watches over us all in love and grace. Whilst He has promised that "those who ask, receive", He will only give us what will be helpful to us, and in His wisdom He will know better than we what this is. David's patient persistence is a good example to follow in our prayers: trust that God is listening and seek to be guided by God in your whole life - seek His will and His glory, and you will see His responses.

Praise God for His wisdom in knowing what is truly for the best in our lives; and pray that He will guide you in all aspects of your life, and that in all that you do God will use you for His glory.