Have you been or maybe are in a time when you think God isn’t paying attention to you? Perhaps it’s the other way around?
Psalm 13:1 NIV
How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
Reflection
King David was a complicated fellow.
As a refresher, in his youth, David was the one who defeated Goliath. He was also the guy who decided to “have” his friend’s wife and then had that friend essentially killed. Plus a bunch more, but you get the point. Complicated fellow and dealing with a good bit.
He is the author of this Psalm. Lucky number 13. It is a very brief verse, but it rings out to those of us who have had to endure patience during trials in our lives. You start to wonder: does God even listen?
Now I would say we are very fortunate that God is indeed God, and we really can’t figure Him out. Why? Because we’ve all had the opportunity to listen to the same stories by some people for years. Stories repeat themselves, they pursue a similar person in their lives, or they talk about doing something but take no action toward doing that thing. You can see it coming, and it gets tiring to watch it. You might have hope for them, but ultimately it’s rinse and repeat.
Just imagine how God feels about us?
Oh, we are good people. We go to services. Read the Bible. Give some money. Give some time. However, we still sin. We neglect our time with God because we get distracted or we “just don’t have the time” in our very busy schedules. Oh, brother! Give me a freaking break!
With a new year starting, many will make that list of “this time” or “for sure this year,” and we will indeed make the bold claims. However, to truly affect a change is to do something about it. To take action and to sustain even when you aren’t seeing the immediate results. As I’m told, action is the true difference-maker in this life. So will we?
So where are you in your life right now? Have you given God enough of your time? Have you stopped because, after all, not everything is exactly the way you asked it to be? Have you grown tired of the prayer routine or the verses you read? Maybe that church you go to is inconvenient if you even think about going.
David was expecting God to be doing something. God was. David just didn’t see it. God took David and used his lineage to bring forth Jesus. God gave us David as a good-good, and good-bad example all in one. What’s that you ask?
As you read his story, you find he was very wanting to be connected to God. The Goliath story is about a young guy not burdened by time who leaped right into a “childlike” faith, and well, you know that story. As he grew older, life started to happen to him. Consequences of actions taken, actions not taken, and just the impact of the string of life events. Plus if you do pray to God and things don’t seem to be turning out you can question. However, God is indeed listening. He is also answering. Those answers are “Not Now”, “Yes”, and “No”. We just don’t always like an answer other than yes. Plus we kind of want that answer right away.
As the calendar shows, another year has gone by. Where are you with God? Is God listening to you? Are you listening to Him? I hope that we all take action towards making that next change we have to make to strengthen our connection and conviction to follow our Savior Jesus. To be even more excited about our relationship with God and to start right now living our best life inspired by His Holy Spirit.
Happy New Year, and may the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you this day and forever.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for this next day. Thank you for all the examples of people who give us approaches and help us understand our path. Help us as we refresh and renew. Help us find more time with you. Deepen our awareness and give us the courage to take action on your requests of us. Please keep us, our families, and our friends safe, happy, and healthy. In Jesus' name, we pray.