Silent Time

Have you gone through such serious situations where there seemed to be no more hope, asking “my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Even in the most desperate times of feeling totally abandoned by other people, for example under serious persecution, God never leaves us alone. No matter where you are, no matter what the circumstances are, God does not leave you alone and listens to your personal prayers. He may not intervene immediately nor in the way we wish for, yet he does not leave us alone and continues to offer his grace.

How much is enough? How much possessions and wealth is sufficient?

Amazingly, most people will have a similar answer, whether very rich or very poor or in between, most will say “just a bit more”.

But the bible has a different answer: It does not count so much how much we have. The question is more: what is your priority in life?

Priority beats quantity.

Proverbs 15: Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than having a lot but with trouble.

Better to eat simple vegetables in company with people you love than the finest meat with hatred.

Better to have God on the first priority scale of life.

Does it mean it is bad to be rich? That is not the case. But the question is about priority: what do you give priority to in life? To possessions or other things such as food or career? Or to the almighty eternal God, the creator of the universe? Whom do you put your trust in? Into people or insurances? Or into the holy sovereign Lord?

Priority beats quantity.

What would you say spontaneously – is it interesting for you to talk to God? Is it a highlight to go the church service? Or is it more a kind of burdensome duty?

As humans we may fall short and not live up to the covenant with God.

Yet from his sides he always keeps up his offer and invitation to everyone of any background whoever humbly turns to him in faith.

Praise the Lord that we do not need to worry about unpleasant duties and so forth. God always continues to offer the grace of his covenant for free.

Everything seems to be temporary.

For example times of peace are always threatened by hatred, health threatened by diseases.

Or a person may intend to settle in a place for good, yet one day may have to move to another place due to life’s conditions or due to external circumstances.

What good remains really permanently?

What do you like to talk about? What do you like to tell to others?

It might be the latest movie or game released. Or many other things and interests which can be nice and entertaining.

Once someone has understood what ultimately counts eternally, the person will mainly tell on the good news to others.

People may keep their promises or they might not fulfil it.

God’s promises are different: he always fulfils his promises. He may not fulfil all our wishes, he may not intervene in the ways we desire, his timing might be different to ours. Yet, the promises of God are firm assurances.

Children are lucky if they are taken care of well by the parents. The children may come with empty hands, yet good parents provide for them with love and care.

But also as adults, even in the strongest years, deep down in the heart everyone has the desire to be taken care of well.

Jesus explains that if we do not receive the kingdom of God like children, then we may not receive it at all.

Usually everything needs to be paid for. All goods have a price tag.

But in the economics of God, it is different: more comparable to a baby crying and the parents providing for free. Though that comparison is not perfect yet is shows the economic logic of our relationship with the Lord Almighty in a much better way: he provides for free when we shout for help in our needs.

“Why have you done this to us?”

Have you complained to anyone in such a way?

Apart from the regular usage, let’s look at how that question is also top relevant for everyone.

To whom do you listen? From whom do you learn?

Usually it is good to learn from the most successful people.

However, in specific regards, we do well to learn from the good example that a poor blind beggar gave around 2000 years ago.