{"id":938,"date":"2010-04-27T09:17:42","date_gmt":"2010-04-27T14:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/davidcprice.wordpress.com\/?p=938"},"modified":"2010-04-27T09:17:42","modified_gmt":"2010-04-27T14:17:42","slug":"when-god-goes-missing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/when-god-goes-missing\/","title":{"rendered":"When God Goes Missing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you ever feel as though there are things God doesn’t see?\u00a0 If my actions are any indication, I must.\u00a0 Sometimes I feel as though injustices happen and God just misses or seems to ignore it.\u00a0 Those are the times I want to (and too often do<\/em>) call “foul!” really loudly so someone will see how badly I’ve been treated and give me an emotional band-aid.\u00a0 Other times, it seems like God lets good deeds go unnoticed, too.\u00a0 Those are the times I want to toot my own horn so at least somebody<\/em> might appreciate my greatness<\/em>.<\/p>\n

That’s all pride, by the way.\u00a0 Couldn’t tell, could you?\u00a0 So, what do I do about that?\u00a0 Is it true?\u00a0 Does God check out every so often?\u00a0 Does he let injustice go unpunished?\u00a0 Does he fail to reward when we’re faithful?\u00a0 Well, though it might seem like it, it doesn’t happen if His Self-revelation in Scripture is to be believed.<\/p>\n

When God led the Children of Israel out of Egypt, for example, they faced many trials of various kinds.\u00a0 Not only were their own selfish ways a slow ticket through a relatively small wilderness, there were many outsiders who mistreated them, attacked them and blocked their way.\u00a0 By the same token, there were those who treated them with kindness.\u00a0 Is there mention of what God did to those groups?\u00a0 Sometimes.\u00a0 Other times it seems as though God let His people be defeated (usually with really good cause!) and did nothing to punish the nations that did the defeating.\u00a0 Where was the justice for those who stood against God’s people?\u00a0 Where were the “‘Atta boys” for those who were kind?\u00a0 It seems<\/em> like God failed to take notice…or did He?<\/p>\n

Consider 1 Samuel 15: 1-7:<\/p>\n

1<\/strong> And Samuel said to Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord.2<\/strong> Thus says the Lord of hosts, I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt.3<\/strong> Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.<\/p>\n

4<\/strong> So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah.5<\/strong> And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.6<\/strong> Then Saul said to the Kenites, Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.7<\/strong> And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How about that?\u00a0 God instructed Saul, the first king of Israel, to defeat the Amalekites.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because they had opposed the Israelites some 400 or so years earlier (depending on how you date the Exodus)!\u00a0 Then the Kenites were warned to clear out because God had taken note of their good<\/em> treatment towards the Israelite.\u00a0 Atta boy!<\/p>\n

God does<\/em> take notice.\u00a0 Rest in that.\u00a0 When you are mistreated, God knows it.\u00a0 When you do well, God knows it.\u00a0 He will not let any good deed, done in His name and for His glory<\/em>, go unrewarded or injustice go unpunished.\u00a0 It’s His nature.\u00a0 But we should also be warned: When we are the ones guilty of the injustice (even when nobody else knows it), God takes notice.\u00a0 What a sobering thought!<\/p>\n

So, when I feel the need to toot my own horn or defend my own interests or “good name”, I remember that the battle is the Lord’s.\u00a0 When I try to get away with something, looking pious but acting deviously, I may get away with it with others, but I will never<\/em> fool the only One who counts.<\/p>\n

I am encouraged, then, to live with authenticity, patience, and peace.\u00a0 God is the God who sees…and He is the God who acts in His own, good and perfect time.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tTweet<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you ever feel as though there are things God doesn’t see?\u00a0 If my actions are any indication, I must.\u00a0 Sometimes I feel as though injustices happen and God just misses or seems to ignore it.\u00a0 Those are the times I want to (and too often do) call “foul!” really loudly so someone will see…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[4,5],"tags":[683,684,249,312,393],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3jKZO-f8","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5068,"url":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/do-you-believe-into-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":938,"position":0},"title":"Do You Believe Into Christ?","date":"February 24, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Do you ever consider the difference in believing in Jesus as compared with other things you believe in but that don't have much impact in your life? If not, you probably should. Consider the opening words of J.I. Packer's classic book, Growing in Christ: When people are asked what they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Christian Living"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/davidcprice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Screen-Shot-2022-02-24-at-6.33.02-AM.png?fit=1200%2C603&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4417,"url":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/article-recommendation-christianity-is-not-just-about-a-personal-relationship-with-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":938,"position":1},"title":"Article Recommendation: Christianity is Not Just About A Personal Relationship With Jesus","date":"May 7, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I mentioned a thought-provoking article on Sunday that I promised I would share on my website this week. The author of the article, Chad Bird, argues that when we are called into a relationship with God, it is not so much about a personal relationship with Jesus but is much\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Christian Living"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/davidcprice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/0C0415BD-BB97-45A9-8A32-966FBF990A91.jpeg?fit=707%2C471&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1302,"url":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/mission-impossible\/","url_meta":{"origin":938,"position":2},"title":"Mission…Impossible?","date":"April 20, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"How often do we limit ourselves based on what think we can and cannot do? \u00a0\"I can't\" is the rally cry of the weak. \u00a0Yet, Scripture says that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,\" (Philippians 4:13, emphasis added) and that \"we are more than\u00a0conquerors\u00a0through Him who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Christian Living"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":338,"url":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/grace-really-is-amazing\/","url_meta":{"origin":938,"position":3},"title":"Grace Really Is Amazing","date":"February 10, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"I had a conversation the other day with a very dear friend of mine who has recently begun a steep, uphill battle with cancer. Though the prognosis is not great, his outlook is. I was amazed as I listened to him describe the ordeal that lies in front of him\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Christian Living"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1350,"url":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/some-thoughts-on-a-tragedy\/","url_meta":{"origin":938,"position":4},"title":"Some Thoughts on a Tragedy","date":"December 14, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019ve been deeply affected by the news coming out today of the intensely tragic shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut. \u00a0We find ourselves asking how anybody could do something so heartless; so devoid of humanity? \u00a0It seems hard to comprehend, doesn\u2019t it? \u00a0 Though I won\u2019t go extensively into\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Christian Living"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":256,"url":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/when-love-isnt-love-1-john-47-12\/","url_meta":{"origin":938,"position":5},"title":"When Love Isn’t Love – 1 John 4:7-12","date":"December 13, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"You know what I get tired of?\u00a0 Religious people who go to church and do all the stuff they're supposed to, but give them half a chance and they rail on somebody.\u00a0 I get tired of people who talk about the love of God, but never seem to show it;\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "PSI (Personal Spiritual Insight)"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/938"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=938"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/938\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}