Psalm 115:2 Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?”
I enjoy quiet moments with my children. Reading books, playing games, snuggling before bedtime- these are all wonderful opportunities for furthering our relationship, and they are filled with teachable moments. Ahhh. Quiet.
So that’s not usually how it is around here. My precious ears (which I saved from loud music and concerts as an adolescent) are now being assaulted. Some of it is fun. Shrieking laughter, happy whoops and hollers, I can deal with. It’s the discontent discourse that gets me.
From time to time, I become invisible to my two year old. At least that’s what it seems like. I’ll be standing there, cooking dinner, when all of a sudden I’ll hear this cry, “I want Mommy! I want Mommy! I want MOMMY!” Looking down, I’ll see this teeny toddler, arms outstretched, crying her eyeballs out. “Mommy’s right here,” I’ll say. “Mommy’s cooking dinner.” “Screeeeeeeeeech! I WANT MOMMY!” “Mommy’s right here. RIGHT HERE.” The decibel level continues to rise until there is some kind of conclusion, that usually involves me stopping what I’m doing to calm down my hysterical child. If you were outside the house, listening in on only half the conversation, you may indeed believe that I had left the building. She’s really quite convincing. Occasionally, even I wonder if I’m really there. Or maybe I’m not the Mommy she’s talking about?
Now, I’m pretty sure that “I want Mommy,” would be more appropriately translated, “I want Mommy to hold me.” Either way, I am clearly there, and I am clearly busy. I try to verbally console, but at that moment, my words mean nothing.
Psalm 115:2 poses the question, “Why do the nations say, ‘Where is their God?'”
Do you act like you know where God is? Do you allow his words to console you? Do you see that he is busy working out his eternal plan? Or do you stand, crying and screeching- arms outstretched. Hopeless. Visionless. Unable to see your God- right there beside you.