A New Direction

Though I understand that God is sovereign over all that happens in this universe I've come to rely less on circumstances to "tell me" what God wants me to do and more on what God has already said in His Word.  His ways are beautifully applied through wisdom and faith always accompanies them.  However, God sometimes gets our attention when a topic or theme is put before us, espcially when it's a few times over the course of a couple hours.  To spare the details, the question is, "Does God hide His face from us?"  Many might courageously respond, "Of course!  Haven't you read the suffering of Job and the rest of the Old Testament?  Clearly God hides His face from us and there are seasons in which He seems nowhere to be found by those who humbly seek Him."  But there is another group that would reply, "God in His anger treated His people this way in the past, but that was before Christ came.  All of God's anger and wrath was poured out on His Son on the cross and we now are free from His punishment."  I think each claim provides a good point and that both need to be examined carefully.  I can't say that I'm certain I know the answer, but I do know that I'm being challenged find out more.

In all of this, I'm reminded of a insightful quote from a man who suffered much.  It was William Cowper who so accurately said, "Behind a frowning providence God hides a smiling face." 

Smiling with Him,
Lane