Smoke Signals

God doesn't disregard our prayers

Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; My cause is disregarded by my God" Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. Isaiah 40:27-28 (NIV)

You have been sending up smoke signals and emergency flares in the form of prayer. Minutes have turned into hours, hours into days, days into months. It has been a long time. And there is silence. A hateful silence. You feel as if you are stranded on a deserted island. Alone. You feel as though God has abandoned you and left you to fend for yourself. You run up and down the beach searching for ships-God, relationships, the church, self-esteem, books, anything -- anything to rescue you, to take you away from what seems like a God-forsaken place.

But you see no ships on the horizon. Instead, your lips are cracked. Your throat is dry. The sun is scorching you. You find your knees slowly buckling. And finally you slowly give in, collapsing from exhaustion onto the burning sand. You are convinced that you will die, die all alone. After all, your efforts to get God's attention have failed.

All this searching for God, it seems in vain. Maybe you don't believe in Him anymore. The pain murdered your belief. You're numb. There's no faith. Only delirium.

But every now and then you regain your wits. You faintly recall other times you have been in similar situations. In these sane moments, you remember God. Hebrews 13:5 God promises to never to leave you or forsake you. You remember the words of others who have spoken about His goodness. You remember their hope in Jesus and gather strength.

Your mind turns to remembering that He works all things together for good for all those who love Him Romans 8:28 and that Jesus invites all who are weary and burdened to come to Him, and that He promises to give you rest (Matthew 11:28). You gain more strength and courage, and realize that you are not stranded, that God is not oblivious to your prayers! All of sudden, you become certain that your prayers and petitions have been heard. God has seen your smoke signals. He has heard you screaming for help.

As you start to revive, you cry out, "I know that You always answer and do what You say You will do, but why is it always at the last minute? Why do You allow me to flail about and let me think I was stranded and all alone? Can't You just answer right away?"

He doesn't answer, but it doesn't bother you. You know that He is there. You are conscious of His presence, it quiets you, it calms your fears. The ship of faith has come! So you get up, and restfully wait.

Lord, I know that You have rescued me and will bring me into a spacious place. You gently remind me that You have never failed me and never ever will. Amen

Marlena Graves