LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Monday 28th February 2022
WHY LORD?
Scripture Reading: Psalm 10
Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide in times of trouble? Psalm 10:1
Psalm 10 begins with a question, ‘why’. It is a question that many Christians have asked the Lord in times of affliction. Our walk with the Lord is a walk of faith and a walk of faith is not always easy.
This Psalm was written at a time when the writer could neither see nor feel God’s presence during a time of crisis. Though the Psalm begins with questions it ends on a bold statement of faith in the Lord. He asks two questions.
Why do you stand afar off? The psalmist does not ask this question expecting God to give him a reason. He asks the question, expecting God to act. It is his way of calling God to action. He knows the Lord is present but can’t understand why the Lord seems far away from the situation He is going through.
Why do you hide in times of trouble? The second question goes a bit further – the psalmist feels God is hiding from him. He can’t seem to feel His presence in ‘times of trouble’.
As humans, we are conditioned to respond to what we see, smell, taste, feel or hear – our five senses. When any or all of our natural senses are not able to pick up information, we feel lost.
Faith is not of our natural senses. Faith is trusting who God is and what He has said. Sometimes the Lord does something for our natural senses to register that He is present and is at work. Other times, the Lord works without us seeing, hearing or feeling Him at work. When that happens, we feel lost; especially, when we can see, hear, and feel the wicked at work.
God is at work whether we see Him or not, whether we feel Him or not. We must depend on the assurance of His word, rather than rely on our senses in our dealings with Him. We can trust in His faithfulness to His word.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know you are always present. Help me to trust you even when I can’t see or feel your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.