Silence Of GOD

Often when we do not get answers to our prayers in the way and time when we desire, we seem to think that God is silent. And we wonder why; but is God really silent? Can He be silent? God’s silence is pinching. It can make one loose one’s right mind. But He never intends that. It’s important to respond to His silence in His ways or else many who are found might get lost again. Let us return to His own Word to understand the language of His silence. Literally most of the characters in the Bible have faced this silence from heaven in some point of their lives. None of them got lost in this silence. Instead, they found themselves grow closer to Him. And the response which they all gave to this silence clearly shows that this too has a language which can be understood by a genuine seeking heart. If we fail to understand His silence, we might fail to understand His voice too in fullness.

Jesus was a person of few words while He was on this earth. He did not answer all questions neither met all expectations of people around Him. Yet His presence answered every lingering questions quietly and firmly, in such a way that it makes us realize that His presence is sufficient for us.

Gen.7:24,’ ²⁴ And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.’  Gen.8:1, ‘Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.’  God instructed Noah to build an ark and asked him to enter into it along with all living beings of the earth in pairs. He closed the door of the ark and it rained for 40 days and 40 nights till all were wiped off from the face of the earth. The flood waters prevailed on earth for 150 days. This was a time of complete silence. God had destroyed almost the entire mankind. His purposes seemed to have been done on earth.  Yet He did not withdraw the waters immediately and allow Noah and his family to be out of the ark. Ark was not only a place of protection; it was also a place of testing. God’s purpose on the earth was over through the flood waters but it was not yet over in the lives of Noah and his family. He had to work in the eight souls in the ark. He had to perfect the faith in them. They did not steer the ark nor had any idea where the ark was heading to. But they kept gazing in faith the One who had made the ark through their hands. The ark kept tossing to and fro in the flood waters for days and months together, but their hearts were fixed and grounded in faith. Finally they found the ark resting on the mountains of Ararat. Every toss by the lashing waves of life is in complete control of our Lord. His silence aims at perfecting our faith. We will rest finally in our predestined place if our hearts are anchored to His Word day and night.

Gen.22:4-5, ‘Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. ⁵ And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the ^[a]lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”’  Abraham’s toughest time of life is seen here. He did not fail to obey God’s voice. He obeyed without questioning. He obeyed immediately. The three days of journey to Moriah might have seemed to be three years of journey. Journey is much longer when God is silent. But his journey was an act of obedience. All through his journey, Abraham chose to cling to God’s presence more than to his own son whom he was supposed to sacrifice. Though he did not hear anything from God those 3 days, his choice to cling to His presence strengthened him to respond to the silence of heaven with faith. When Isaac asked him about the animal to be sacrificed, he boldly and quickly answered, “My son, God will provide himself a sheep for a burnt offering.” Clinging to God’s presence even in that pinching silence enabled Abraham to know God’s heart in a deeper way and thus, he could very well prophesy about the provision of the animal for sacrifice, which he had not seen yet. Later we see how God called out Abraham from heaven twice to stop him from laying his hands on the young lad. God’s silence is an open invitation for us to cling to His presence and thus have a deeper understanding of His unmeasurable love for us.

In the garden of Gethsemane, we see Jesus going through such a silence for some time. Mt. 26:39-44 speaks about Jesus praying thrice about the cup of suffering being taken away from Him. He also prayed for God’s will to happen. Finally, Jesus overcame by submitting to do Father’s will. Lk.22:43 says about an angel coming and strengthening Him. As long as the fight between self will and God’s will sustained, there was a silence from heaven. But as soon as Jesus overcame by submitting for God’s will, the angel was sent for help. At times, heaven is silent while we struggle to make up our mind to do His will. But as soon as we submit for same, the Lord sends His presence to enable us to do His will.

Prophet Jonah was in the belly of fish for three days and three nights. But as soon as he repented and made up his mind to obey God’s commands, he was out of fish’s belly. God’s silence is at times the time given to us to repent and to be restored to do His will.

As we all go through such silence at various times of life, its important that we handle it and respond to it in the right way. Or else, such moments of life might cause shipwreck of faith life. Let nothing separate us from His love. Nothing happens without His knowledge and all things happen for good for those who love the Lord. May this truth strengthen us and help us to discern His ways and timings. His silence does not change His love or promises. Rather it only prepares us to receive the same at the right time. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Each of us have our own valleys to walk. And the only one with us is the Lord. His rod and His staff comforts us. Though silent, He never fails to comfort us. Let us continue to pursue Him even through these valleys of silence. For surely, goodness and mercy shall follow us(Ps.23).

God bless us all.

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