Title: Silence of God / Psalm 22:1-2
God's Silence / Psalm 22:1-2
(Psalm 22:1-2) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you far from my help, and do you not hear my groan? O my God, I cry by day, and I am not silent at night you do not answer
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People want to hear the voice of God and they want to meet God. This is the unchanging heart of all people since the creation of the world. Even a poet named Asaph sang in Psalm 83:1, "O God, be not silent. O God! Philip, one of Jesus' disciples, once asked Jesus to show him God.
David was a man who experienced God's grace all his life, but today's text shows him protesting against God's silence. Here we can learn the biblical lesson regarding God's silence.
At the beginning of verse 1, David protests to God, saying, "Why have you forsaken me?"
It is said that loneliness is the first thing that human beings come to when they fail, get stuck, or fail while doing something. It means that they experience feelings of loneliness and despair because they think that they are useless and abandoned like bullets fired for no purpose. Christians often think that even God has forsaken me. David is also crying out in this spirit in today's text.
But our God is a God who is near to us. In Jeremiah 23:23-24, God says, "I am near God, and far away, not God? Who can hide himself in a secret place so that he cannot be seen from me? Am I not full of heaven and earth?" You said. It says that the Lord our God is a God who is with us wherever we are. I hope that you too can feel God by your side.
But why can't we see this God right away? This is the story of Napoleon's invasion of England in 1815. Britain and France face off at Waterloo. The British commander at this time was General Wellington. Objectively, it was certain that Napoleon's army in France would win. But the result was a British victory. It is said that the British wrote and hung on top of a large tower in London to announce the news quickly. "Wellington defeats the enemy". But at that time, there was a lot of fog in London, so when the citizens read this article, they could only see "Wellington, you are defeated". It is said that the British people who read this article became discouraged and cried and cried. However, after an hour or so, the fog lifted, and when they learned that the text read, "Wellington defeats the enemy," all the citizens cheered, danced and rejoiced.
Even when the Lord is with us, the reason we cannot see is because of the fog. If we have a religious sensitivity, we can always feel the Lord near us. Paul, who felt the Lord in this way, was able to confess, “I am troubled on every side, but not crushed; I am perplexed, but not in despair; I am persecuted, but not forsaken; I am thrown down, but not destroyed.”
We want you to feel the fact that God is with us and works in us. Hopefully we don't complain about God's silence, saying, "Why did you forsake me?" Our God is a God of fullness, a God who draws near to me.
After verse 1, David protests that God is far away and does not help him.
Is our God really far away? Is God the only creator of all things and is now indifferent to the world and us? Deists who held these ideas were condemned as heretics.
The Israelites were taken captive by Babylon. The Israelites, who believed that God only existed in the temple in Jerusalem, where the ark of the covenant was located, were discouraged, thinking, "God is far away and we no longer have God's help."
At this time, the words of the book of Isaiah come. "Jacob! Why do you say, Israel! Why do you say, 'My case is hidden from the LORD, and my complaint is not accepted by God'?" The inner meaning of these words is, 'I am the God who not only knows everything about you, but also helps you and gives grace to you.' We shouldn't think, 'God is far away and he doesn't help me anymore'.
The book of Job shows the faith that overcomes suffering. Job was righteous and rich. But in an instant, the family and the disaster disappeared. The body has spread malignant dermatitis.
Job, who is in trouble, says: "How can I know where God is? Then I would go before the throne and plead with him and make a confession..." I don't know where God is. That means you can't stand it. However, the answer is given to the book of Job, who was in such a frustrating state. “Who prepares food when the crow cries out to God?” (Job 38:41) , a God of grace, a God of providence.
David, who realized this kind of God, also sang in Psalm 23, saying, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your staff and staff comfort me."
I pray that the saints will also be protected and be victorious in God's grace. I hope that you will feel and understand the God who is near you.
There is something we need to realize in the silence of God. It means that in it we must achieve the maturity of our faith and become sanctified.
Unbelievers, when they suffer, either give up or turn it into their destiny. It is to give up and die in the midst of fate.
But those who believe in God are different. Even when difficulties and suffering come, we do not give up and hold on to the message God gives us. It's about finding meaning. And it is to turn crisis into an opportunity for blessing, refinement, change and development. Don't give up when God is silent. You must grasp the message God gives you and realize it, and use it as an opportunity for blessing, change, and advancement.
Paul was terribly ill. He prayed three times to God to be healed of this disease. But God was silent. At this time, Paul did not despair, but realized God's providence in it. He knew that God's grace was sufficient for him. Paul realized this and was able to say, "Let's always rejoice! Let's give thanks in everything! Let's pray without ceasing!" When we realize the grace and providence in God's silence, we can see our faith mature.
When Job, the afflicted servant, was in adversity, his friends came and condemned him. His wife cursed him and ran away. Yet, Job confessed, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth in the latter days." It says that God is alive and that He will work. And he said, "After this skin of mine has decayed, I will see God outside the flesh." Even in the midst of unspeakable adversity, pain, curses and difficulties, we are overcoming them with faith in God. It is growing in mature faith. Job, who had this belief, later recovered his health and restored the blessings of his children and material things.
In the text, God is silent on David's request. But that does not mean that God has forsaken him. This is not to say that God has gone far away. It's not that God doesn't give grace and help anymore. God is just trying to mature our faith through the process. God is always with us. And he gives you grace.
There is a chain of hotels in the United States called Holiday Inn. It is said that the founder of the company failed several times and prayed for the last $25 left. "God, I can't ruin it any more. I entrust my life to God. I'll start over with this $25. Please bless me". He recovered in this way and was able to build a big company under God's blessing. This man testified, "If God doesn't do it for a single day, our company will have to close from the very next day. Our company is God's company."
A poet sings of his faith like this: "I believe in the sun. Even when the sun is not shining... I believe in God. Even when he is silent..."
When we face adversity, it feels like God is silent. I feel like God has forsaken me. God doesn't seem to be helping anything in my life anymore. But, saints, even in these times, I pray that our God will sustain us, give us grace, help us, and lead us to victory.