Dad, are you there?

 

 

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

 

In writing this piece my mind goes to a scene of a little child, who in his room, is under the covers in the middle of a stormy night. The flashes of lightening come through the window as the rain pounds heavily on the roof.

He hides his face under the covers hoping that the storm will pass and trying to be a ‘brave boy’ like Dad says he is but at some point the child seems to have had enough and can’t take any more. So, he does the next reasonable thing he knows.

 

He grabs his teddy bear, puts on his fluffy slippers and drags his sheets along as he heads towards his parents room. On his mind he is wondering if he is doing the right thing. Cause dad calls him a ‘big boy’ now. He doesn’t know if he will be disappointed with him for not being the brave little solider he calls him. His fear however overcomes all these concerns as he goes towards his parents’ room. He timidly knocks, pushes the door open a little and asks this question ‘Dad, Are you there?!’

 

Never mind the gender issues in the scene above but have you ever been in one of those places? Where in the middle of a trying situation or a stormy time in your life, you wonder if God is there for you? Have you tried positive faith confessions, tried to be strong like the pastor told you to be and for some reason you would really like to know if ‘Dad’ is there for you. I know God is omnipresent but I don’t know if you have ever come to that point in your walk that you just want to ask ‘where are you?’ Are you here for me? Yes me, not just for everyone.

In the above text we see Jesus in a tight corner, well more than a tight corner. He was about to die and the very person who put him up to this seemed unavailable! The one that sent him to pay this price seemed to have run off when he needed him the most. Please note that Jesus was every bit human and felt the agony of being left to his plight on the cross. Just when things got bad it looked like God has left him. But do you know the Spirit of God was present with him on that cross? Read Heb. 9:14.

 

 

Are you there now and you feel that God has abandoned you? Well you’re still not alone! In Mark 4:38, the disciples had to wake Jesus up and the question on their mouths was don’t you care that we are about to perish. Do you need other examples? Well look at Job. He came to a point he too felt forsaken by God and so did David, Jeremiah, Josuah even Abraham.

 

Do you feel like that problem is about to take you out? Does it look like your boat is about to capsize? Are the pressures so much that you feel like giving up? Then employ the wisdom of that little boy. What wisdom is that?! Am glad you asked and I’ll tell you. Run to your father! But unlike that Boy don’t knock timidly. He says we should come boldly to his throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need (Heb. 4:16).

The wisdom of every person who made it through the storm is that they knew to ask for help from God. Friend it is not angels that He helps but the seed of Abraham! Are you a seed of Abraham? Are you born again? If you are then you are qualified for His help.

 

Friend, before you give up can I challenge you to pray again? Can you reach out to your father one more time? Kneel down again and come before him. Tell him how you feel. Don’t get offended or bitter. Don’t bother with who did what or did not do what or who is there for you or who has left. Just reach out to your father.

In the illustration I gave of that little boy can you imagine the father kicking out the kid and telling him to grow-up? Some parents may do that but not if they love their kid and friend you are loved by God. You have your fathers love. I am so grateful that God loves me. Yes am not perfect, I stumble now and again. I’ve made big blunders but God loves me! If you can’t imagine a loving parent mistreating his kid how can you think that God will treat you like that?

 

He is big enough to hold the universe in His hands but soft enough to answer when you wisper. You will not get a busy signal on his line.

 

The young boy in the above illustration does not know that his parents can’t do anything about the lightening or the storm but friend when he gets into their room, he would not lie awake thinking of the storm outside. He will go to sleep in the comfort and warmth of his parents. What makes the boy sleep? When he can see the flashes of lightening, the thunder and hear ponding rain? The thing that scared him are still there. He can see and hear that the storm has not ended, but for him he is immune to it not because he does not know its there but because he draws strength from his relationship with the father.

 

 

Friend, am here to tell you that you can go through stuff and still have a spring in your step. You can be going through hell and still carry heaven in your heart! Sometimes, I might have to tell you what am going through for you to know that every thing isnt alright. I draw my strength from a relationship with God.

I am not just asking you to pray that the storm ceases, Oh don’t get me wrong ,you should pray for that! Fast if you have to but more importantly find time to curl into the arms of your father. In the midst of your storm seek intimacy with Him!

 

Have fellowship with you father! Tell Him how its been with you. Tell him that you trust him to bring you out. Cry if you feel like but tell him you still love him. Ask him to help you stand. Real men don’t cry the world tells us but Jesus cried. The bible says He cried with strong crying and just in case you want to argue that it means he just shouted the bible adds... and tears-Heb. 5:7

 

Luk 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

 

Luk 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about

 

Yes it’s important to get through this wilderness but don’t lose your relationship with the Father. Don’t let that hardship take away your relationship with God. Don’t just get into the wilderness; determine to return in the power of the Spirit.

 

Its not just important that you come through that stuff but its important at the other end your relationship with God is still intact. Some have gone through stuff and have stop trusting God, Stopped praying, stopped believing God,stopped worshiping, stopped church or stopped this or that, but determine to come out the other end intact.

 

You can loose your coat to Mrs Potiphar but don't lose God's presence in your life! Friends may mock you,servants despise your person, wives advice you wrongly but dont lose your relationship with God.

Friend I know you will come out of this but decide that you will not lose your relationship with God.

 

Let’s Pray.

 

Father, we know you are aware of every storm we are going through but teach us in the middle of all the chaos and confusion to come to a place where we still stand and trust you. Even when we are barely hanging on, help us to hold on to you. Like Habbakkuk bring us to a place where we can say that although things may not have worked out as we planned or thought it would that we will trust in you. Thank you for hearing us and loving us so much that you sent your Son to die for us. We trust you to bring us through this in Jesus name. Amen