Psalm 27:9

Psalm 27:9  

Do not hide Your face

     The message of the Psalms is clear; there are times when the face of God seems to be hidden and there are times when His face can be discerned, albeit indistinctly. The hiding of God’s face is often associated with our sin and foolishness, however there can be times in life’s struggles when it feels as if God is a million miles away and we don’t know why. In Psalm 88:14 we read, “Why, Lord, do you reject me and hide Your face from me?” The inference is that there are occasions when we just don’t know why the Lord seems so distant. Oh, the sense of despair and emptiness as our devotional lives take a on a monotony and we plod along in the cold night of isolation! Then, inexplicably, we find ourselves back in the warmth of the sun and intimacy and blessing are rekindled. Perhaps that is the point of faith, if everything were rosy all of the time would we learn true dependence and stickability? The life of discipleship is not a sprint, it is a marathon and sometimes the finishing line can appear to be a long way away! So, let us do nothing that would provoke the Lord’s anger or that would cause Him to turn away from us, let us keep running the race even though we have to grit our teeth at times. “Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Saviour.” One person knew such rejection of course. Yes, even Jesus knew what it was to cry out, “My God, my God. Why have You forsaken me?” His rejection led to our redemption!

 

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