Absent

God speaks in mysterious ways.

Sunday at church was one of those days when I felt the pastor speaking directly to me as if no one else was there.  In fact, I'm not so certain he wasn't even there.  It was as if Our Lord alone was sharing His heart and words with me.

The sermon was based in the book of Esther which, as the pastor told us, is the only book in scripture that never mentions God.  No name of God at all.  No Lord, YHWH, God, etc.  He's not there.  He is absent from the text.  But He is not absent from the story.  Far from it!

You can see God throughout the story weaving circumstances together, drawing hearts and minds to him.  Yet there were no burning bushes, no parting of seas or plagues or famine or feeding of thousands, no miracles.  It was simply the story of God's people, trusting and journeying through faith while God worked through the details in the mundane.  Yet He was still out of sight.

I encourage you to watch this sermon once it is posted online as it speaks exactly to my blog entry from 1/23: White Sand Beaches.  It is the sermon on 1/30/2011.  http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/cross-point-church-video/id301415948.

How is God active around us?  How many times do we not notice?  May we begin to see God in between the lines.  Fully present, fully alive in the midst of the routine of our lives.  May we know our Lord deeper and stronger than before.  And may we continue seeking when it seems He is absent.