We live in a world that denies God, his existence, his rule, his activity. Stephen Hawking, celebrated physicist and a known atheist, summed up the world’s perspective quite well. He maintained “There is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate.” We should not be surprised at that “for the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God” (Psalm 14:1). As believers, we know otherwise!
Yet we are often tempted to question whether God is really present. We do not see evidence of his activity among us (or so we think); consequently, we become like the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness who “tempted the LORD, saying, is the LORD among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7). Be assured from the Scriptures that he is very much among us and is active. David wrote “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered” (Psalm 40:5).
Not only is God active, but he is actively good. The Psalmist reminds us “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee” (Psalm 31:19). In fact, everything that is good in this darkened, sin-cursed world comes from the hand of the “Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). This is true for all men “for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Luke 6:35). Therefore, we are admonished “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing” (Psalm 107:21-22).
God is indeed present and active among us. We often strain to see his working but, for the child of God, what he has said is sufficient. Faith requires no more proof than the testimony of God’s word. Job struggled to understand the ills that befell him and was overwhelmed by what he perceived as God’s absence. “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive him: on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him” (Job 23:8-9). Even so, his faith knew what his eyes could not see! He declared “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
We, too, as dear children of God, are called upon to rest in his promises even when we cannot discern his presence or performance. Jesus said “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). However dark things may seem to be, he has not abdicated his throne. As the words to an old hymn remind us, “This is my Father’s world, Oh, let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” As the Psalmist reminds us “Verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth” (Psalm 58:11).
While his promise to judge stands, there are many that deny God’s presence because they do not see his working. They remain willfully ignorant of his revelation concerning himself. May we not be counted among them. Those that deny him now shall one day assuredly bow the knee and “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11).
From the Chaplain 