BEING ABSENT

Never more than today has God made His presence felt… than by ‘being absent.’

Of course, it is not the Lord that is absent…but I. That does not make it any less real and devastating. Whether I perceive the absentee to be the Lord or myself, there is still a sense of loneliness and absence. I know of nothing as dark, depressing or hopeless as the perception that the Presence of God is absent.

When this happens, I go bury myself in the Psalms… if I can get there. I cry out with King David, “O God, you are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love”… but I sure don’t feel it right now. But I also know to keep crying out and trying out until I hear the Holy Spirit give comfort to my soul. Maybe the Spirit will tell me (again) to go sit and watch the water go by in a mountain creek.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Jesus