When God Doesn't Show Up?

How Do You Respond?

Which biblical character do you most relate to? Do you oversee a group of people like Moses or run a kingdom like David? Perhaps you are gifted in hospitality like Martha or enamored by the Lord like Mary. Or maybe you relate more to Jochebed and Hannah who gave up a son. Maybe Ruth and the love of family captures your heart.

Sometimes when we read through the Bible we find ourselves saying, "Oh I do that." Sometimes our heart strings are pulled and tugged and we think, "I can relate." Our movement toward the biblical characters are just another way God can pull us toward Himself.

 
While writing the book, Wounded Women of the Bible, to be released in July, I found a little of myself in each character. I find it fascinating people today are not so different from the famous biblical characters of long ago.  

Briefly, allow me to share a snippet about Mary. The Mary I am referring to is not Jesus’ mother, but Martha and Lazarus’s sister. Mary seemed shy, timid, and quiet. Martha was the boss. Martha ran the house and probably ruled it too. Mary, . . . well, she was just Mary.

 We’ve all had times our emotions flared up at God over our circumstances or other. One day Mary came face to face with disappointment regarding Jesus and his actions. At a time she needed him most, he was nowhere to be found.  When she and her sister finally sent word to Jesus, he didn't come when they needed Him. 

 
Think about a moment you truly needed one of your friends and they never showed. How did you handle it? What did you do? Life isn’t very different from biblical times. We respond much the same when faced with similar issues. There are moments we need God to show up and it appears He doesn’t.

 

The truth is, God really does care for us. His ways are not our ways and we cannot fathom His wisdom. When Jesus finally did show up, Mary’s actions were to stay away. She didn’t want to go out to meet Him or see Him. She really had nothing much to say to Him. Do we respond the same? 

 
Well, later on something incredible happened to this quiet gentle spirited person. Mary did something that caused others to drop what they were doing and stare wide-eyed. I don’t want to spoil it for you, so you’ll need to pick up the book to find out the ending to the story. Was it out of character for her? Not too much. What impressed her to do it? How could her heart have been stirred so much? Why would she do what she did? It completely caught everyone off guard. . . but not Jesus.

 
God isn't surprised too much by our behaviors. Whatever your response when angry, disappointed, or confused by God’s actions or lack of – never lose sight of the fact He loves you so much. “How can I tell how much God loves me,” you might ask. “It doesn’t feel like it.”

 
Well – He loves you enough to send His son to endure horrific beatings . . . even death. . . just for you. That’s how much.

 
I can’t comprehend why God sits when we need Him to move. I don’t know why God delays when we long for Him to hurry. The truth is, we don’t need to know - we only need to trust in the One who does.

May your journey be filled with trusting moments.