God's Presence

 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  Psalm 34:17-18 NIV

All of Psalm 34 is a source of great comfort. David wrote it after he feigned madness before Abimelek who believed it and sent him away to freedom. David wrote praises to the Lord, but in the midst, he included verses 17-18. They mirror the verses from Isaiah that say a dimly burning wick he will not extinguish, nor break a bruised reed. 

I can think of many times my heart has been broken and the fire within me become just a tiny flame. Yet our merciful God does not cast me aside. How many times has your heart been broken? When has your flaming fervor been tamped down by circumstances that weary? Take heart, when those times happen, God does not abandon you. He doesn't get frustrated with you, nor angry. He has felt that way himself, through Jesus who spent years in the likeness of a human. And scripture says he is the perfect priest to intercede for us because he knows our frailties intimately. 

When I have (and still can in the future) felt like I'm wandering in the wilderness, God reminds me Jesus did as well. I'm also reminded he was sorely tempted afterward. Have you ever been tempted during times of weakness? Tempted to think God is nowhere near you? Jesus won his trial by simply speaking the written word of God. I'm guessing here, but he might not have had a deep feeling of God during that time. He may have had to draw upon his knowledge of Hebrew scripture. It says afterward the angels came and ministered to him.

Maybe Jesus didn't feel God at that moment, but he didn't doubt his Father was there. He believed the word in his mind and with that, his heart took hope that God's word will not fail. It will never fail. 

If you are in the wilderness, if you are being tempted, remember God is truly near whether or not you feel his presence. The promise he will not abandon you is utterly true. Hold onto that and soon your Savior will make himself present to you once again.