“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great day of the Lord.” (Malachi 4:5)

Between the last page of the Old Testament and the first page of the New sits about 400 years of silence.

Four hundred years without a recorded prophet. Four hundred years without a message or a story or any kind of preserved word from God. For four hundred years, we have neither record nor rumor of God speaking to His people through the prophetic word.

As hard as it is for us to comprehend 400 years, the Bible tells us this is how long God’s people waited to hear Him speak. It’s hard to imagine such a long time, but for the people who had seen God’s miracles first-hand, 400 years must have felt like an eternity. And the longer God was silent the worse things got. It certainly seemed as though God had forgotten both His people and His promises.

Where was God during all this time? Had He finally given up on His people and His promises?

It’s easy to share in Christ’s anguish on the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

Can you relate? When God goes silent, it doesn’t take long until we assume God must have forgotten about us. Suddenly, we begin to take matters into our own hands – walking away from God in the process. But, God is always at work in our waiting. Waiting reminds us who is ultimately in control and prepares us for what’s next.

In Luke chapter 2 we find Simeon. He was a great man of faith. Having suffered the oppression of God’s people, He heard over and over again how God had abandoned them, forgotten them. As a result, he’s watched many fall away in hopelessness and despair. Simeon, however, faithfully clung to the promises of God, believing that God would come through in the end. And ultimately, God did! Imagine his joy to be one of the first people to hold the Messiah in his arms, experiencing first-hand the promise of God revealed!

Are you in the midst of a season of waiting? Maybe it has been a very long and incredibly frustrating few months or years. You feel as though God has forgotten you; you’re beginning to doubt. Don’t lose hope – God is at work in the waiting. Even during the most challenging seasons, God wants to point us to Jesus. Jesus, the only one who can perfectly and completely fulfill the deepest longings of our hearts.

If you’re seeking hope – look to Jesus. Comfort – look to Jesus. If you’re feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied, look to Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate hope and joy even when the wait feels like 400 years. Through Jesus, the wait is over as our souls find rest in the promise of God fulfilled!

So take some time today and listen to what He wants to say to you. Listen to that still small voice speaking to your heart.  He will never let you down. He is always there for you.

“Silence doesn’t mean God is standing still.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, It’s in the silence that we are most desperate to hear You Lord. Maybe You are just waiting for me to slow down and hear what you have been saying. Today I will listen to your voice as you guide me to go right or to go left. Father I know you always have my best interest in mind. I trust you, and  can be rest assured that You will guide me for good this day. Thank you for allowing us to Hear Your Voice. In Jesus’ Precious Name, Amen.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org