GOD’S SILENCE: “JUST BECAUSE HE AIN’T SAYING NOTHING DON’T MEAN HE AIN’T DOING NOTHING!”
As the culmination of the series, “Between Two Mountains,” Pastor Lawrence spoke on the duration of 400 to 5 B.C. The period from Malachi to John the Baptist, known as the prophetic silence. A time when Jewish people experienced both Greek and Roman rule. A stretch where God was quiet but not inactive; it was filled with pensive preparation. The Koine Greek language became a common tongue, and the Romans built an extensive, multi-layered network of roads, which would later both serve to spread the gospel.
Lawrence talked about John the Baptist being the last prophet of the Old Testament, the precursor, penultimate, predating Jesus. God went from being unvoiced to becoming one of us. Even knowingly unworthy, John was blessed to baptize Jesus, hearing God’s voice and seeing the Holy Spirit. I catch myself thinking how amazing it would have been to hear from God, Jesus, and John the Baptist all firsthand.
It’s strange to write this, but I don’t hear God the way I wish I could. I identified with the GPS analogy used in today’s sermon. When your GPS freezes, what do you do? You follow the last instructions that were given. I hadn’t thought about the Bible as a positioning system until today. Our paths are not straight, so we might hear “recalculating,” but the scripture we need usually finds those of us who seek it.
Last week, I led our children’s ministries’ large group lesson on faith. We talked about believing in something you can’t see, at least not the way you want. The similarity to God being inaudible at times seems fitting; not hearing Him doesn’t mean He isn’t communicating. The last song during today’s service vexed me. The song “Trust In God” is beautifully written, and we sing it regularly as part of Mosaic’s worship, but there are a couple of lines that I find myself scrutinizing because they seem to contradict the faith I need to have right now. The lines, “I sought the Lord and He heard, and He answered. That’s why I trust him!” In a world where seeing is believing, can our trust only come from answered prayers?
Much like John the Baptist, we know we are undeserving, yet we hunger for proof and reassurance. Proof that suffering isn’t haphazard or pointless. Reassurance that even though our selfish sin nature leads us astray, we can consistently find our way back to the path God wants us on, a combination of free will and divine intervention. When I don’t hear God and my prayers go unanswered, faith guides me to Ecclesiastes (8:17 NIV): “then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.” God’s actions speak louder than words. “Just because He ain’t saying nothing don’t mean He ain’t doing nothing!”