Quiet

Gen 46:2,3 "Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said: 'Jacob, Jacob.' and he said: 'Here I am' so He said: 'I am God, God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.'"

This is a mystery to me, why God is sometimes quiet. I mean, I really feel bad for Jacob. Here is this guy who, for years, has come to believe that his son was killed by a wild animal. His sons did not help. They lead him to believe this story by giving him Joseph's bloody robe. All of these years, they did not let their Dad know that Joseph may still be alive. By this time, Jacob had grieved, and eventually resigned himself to the idea that he would never see Joseph again.

Then this: "Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night...". Why now? Why at this time? Why not earlier? Why didn't God blow this whole charade out of the water and simply come to Jacob in the visions of the night and say: "Jacob, Jacob do not fear, your son Joseph is still alive and you will see him again some day."? Why didn't that happen? It could have. If God had chosen to do this, He could have come to Jacob earlier and explained the whole situation to him...but he didn't.

In fact, why do we go through times of silence? Why do we go through times when we are kept in the dark? Why do we have to go through tough times and not know what is going on? I am not sure that I have the answer...but God knows. When those times come we just have to be still and know that He is God. There are some things in this life that we will have to wait years to see what God was doing, and there are some things in this life that we will not see it until we get to heaven.

Look at the people who lived their faith before we ever came on the scene: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced [them] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Heb 11:13 That's it. We are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. We may never figure some things out. There are things out there that are destined to only be known by God. His silence is there for a reason...but some day we will see things clearly. "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." I Cor 13:12

Until then, keep walking. Keep living a life of faith knowing that God has it all under control.