Intercession1Is the Lord being quiet with you?

 “If we ask anything according to His will, we know He hears us.  And if He hears us, we know that we have what we ask for.”  1 John 5:14

So He’s not saying no, He’s just saying NOT YET! Oh you can be sure He’s attentive and sees everything.  He has His finger on your pulse and if His eye is on the sparrow (Matthew 10:29), then He’s aware and is sensitive to whatever is going on in your life.  He will come to save you when the perfect moment for Him to be glorified has arrived.  Listen to the Word of the LORD…

 

“I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place.  Even before you begin your attack, while your plans are ripening like grapes, the LORD will cut off your new growth with pruning shears.  He will snip off and discard your spreading branches.

Your mighty army will be left dead in the fields for the mountain vultures and wild animals.  The vultures will tear at the corpses all summer.  The wild animals will gnaw at the bones all winter.”   Isaiah 18: 4-6

 

The NLT Bible Commentary says that this prophecy was probably given in the days of Hezekiah.  The king of Ethiopia had heard that Assyria’s great army was marching south toward them.  He sent messengers up the Nile asking the surrounding nations to form an alliance.  Judah was asked to join the alliance, but Isaiah told the messengers to return home because Judah needed only God’s help to resist the Assyrians.  Isaiah prophesied that Assyria would be destroyed at the proper time (Isaiah 37:21-28).

 

As the army advances, God makes no effort to stop them and it appears as though they will be allowed to do as they wish.  Though God sometimes seems unconcerned in the distress of his people for a time, he will at length appear against their enemies just when they seem to be victorious, and then He will remarkably cut them off!  And all of the glory will be to God and God alone.

 

He wants us to know that though he might seem for a time to sit by as an unconcerned spectator; His silence is never to be confused with passive agreement or approval.  His Word tells us that He will certainly arise and seasonably appear for the comfort of his people at the most opportune moment; just when the plans of the wicked are on the verge of success, in order to overwhelm the enemy with disaster.  But like the title of this post, He alone knows the perfect moment when He can intercede most effectively.  God and humanity are on different timetables, and most of the time… that’s hard.  But take heart – those that unjustly trample upon others shall themselves be justly trampled upon.  God will put honor upon his people, though men put contempt upon them.

 

As we see the evil of this world, as we watch the apparent success of wrongdoers, as we suffer oppression of those who hate us, let us remember these miraculous words of our God… “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place.”  God’s ways are so much higher, and I don’t think I have to remind you that there is so much wisdom behind His Words.   He will take care of his people, and be a shelter to them.  Praise God!