God's Voice Amidst The Tempest (Job 9:16-17)

My father had been ill for some time.  Heart disease had deteriorated him to a weakened state and he was slowly dying.  It was only a matter of time.  We waited.  I was at a meeting representing a Bible college that I had worked for when I was notified that I had a phone call.  When I answered, I heard my pastor's voice.  After stuttering for a few seconds, he told me that my father had passed away.  I thought I was ready, but the news still hit me like a ton of bricks.

When bad news comes, it hits us at the pillars of our strength.  We are rocked at that foundation and the structures of our own making begin to crumble.  Our works, knowledge, service and determination cannot help at that moment.  The foundations are established in our hearts and as the heart crumbles so do the foundations.  However at the same time the Holy Spirit bears witness to our spirit of truth and our faith secures the truth structures that remain.  

The testing time is when we believe in the goodness of God even though we cannot hear his voice.  When we cry out to him, he answers or his eye is on us* just as it is on the sparrow.  He may speak to us, but the devastation of the wounds in the trial make him seem to be silent.  There will come a time when his voice will ring clearly, but until then, the still small voice is crowded by wounds from the tempest.  The purpose for the trial is to remove our false securities and be strengthen in faith and fellowship with the Lord.

Until the trial ends or the voice of the Lord sounds clearly, bath yourself in the word of God.  It is his written voice and can be heard at all times and under all circumstances.  Pain cannot drown it out and it is the truth that the Holy Spirit will use to secure the truth foundations in your heart.

* the definition for answered contains the idea of God focusing his eye on something or paying attention to it.