Anyone familiar with this?

Question

7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. 8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.

Answer 1

Isiah 54:7-8

Yes, God does not immediately respond to our immediate needs is my interpretation.. we get sloppy with our prayer life and honestly don’t understand God’s BIGGER PICTURE!

Even Jesus cried out on the cross to ABBA (Father) why hast thou forsaken me?

Many times we lose faith in our anguish, pain and peril. Instead of questioning God we need to draw closer to him and trust that  He works in his own time and reason!

I used to watch a tv program that featured a Catholic nun. She would ask why God allows pain, disease or mental anguish amongst his followers, children or good people whilst murderers, rapist and other felons lived a life without the same burdens….

I sat there in complete awe… Then she said God allowed his only begotten Son to suffer apparently for hours on the cross during his crucifixion!!! Sister Angelica broke her silence and said to her viewers “Did you ever consider our trials are sacred and a spiritual preparation for our eternal life?

I am not Catholic but I do know Christ’s trials were definitively excessive but God’s “favored people” Israel have suffered many years of persecution! As has the Afro- American’s also!

Many scholars think this verse is referring to Israel… but doesn’t God test each of us to reach out to him in extreme times?

Well, that’s my take on the matter!

L4u

Answer 2

These two verses from Isaiah 54 need to be seen in context.  The chapter refers to the restoration of Israel.  In the first few verses, Israel is depicted much like a widow who has lost her husband.  However, the Lord says that her (Israel's) husband is actually their "Maker" (the Lord Himself.)  The Chosen People have seemingly been abandoned for various periods of time by God, but He has always restored them out of His bounty.

As for the meaning for those of us as individual believers, I think the passage directs us to reflect on the times when we have felt abandoned, and we can comfort ourselves with the knowledge that the Lord will restore ("have compassion on") us.  

Personally, I have down times, and in some of those most desperate moments, I feel abandoned.  But when I turn to the Lord, I have always found a refreshing of my spirit, a hope that outlasts any hopelessness I may have generated.  As many of you know, I have a heart condition that could mean "That's All, Folks!" (reference to Porky Pig's line at the end of many cartoons we used to watch as children) at any moment.  Each morning, as I awaken, I offer up this prayer of thanks: "Thank you, Lord, for the miracle of today.  Give me the strength and wisdom to get through this day.  Amen."  Yes, there are mornings when I wake up feeling awful, feeling sick, hurting from the previous day's exertions, etc.  That is still my prayer; it's just a bit tougher to offer it up and mean it.   :-)

All the best to each of you!

Answer 3

Cheer Up my Brother , live in the Sunshine.

We`ll Understand it all by and by

Answer 4

Blue, I've seen these scriptures before. In fact I seen it posted recently on a friend's Facebook page. 

As you know, the Bible is filled with illustrations and metaphors. It has pages and pages of wisdom filled passages use this way, intended as life teaching. That's where studying with others becomes necessary in order for the spiritual meaning to come upon us in order to understand. In this case the meaning cuts quite deep.  Many of us feel alone in our lives during extreme misfortune and/or other difficulties. Those times I believe exist for a reason. Whether it's to influence and encourage us to do better, or to realize even during those times there's many wonderfully good things in our lives that are often forget about. Many turn away from God when things are dark. We shouldn't ever forget the good because of the bad.  We need to always embrace "the truth" no matter where we are in our lives.

Comments

Sandy

I'm back in 1992 where I started off with Schizophrenia.

Last night I woke up about 9pm to the sound of what I believed was gunfire. I was then in a 10 to 1 countdown with every move I made. One gunshot per move.

The 10 to 1 was from my living room to the front door. Where I fully expected to be shot dead.

Someone who walks to go see where the shooting is coming from is either stupid or wants to die.

As I see it it was an ultimate test.

Of course it was fireworks but because I was half asleep I did not realise that.

I've got the crisis home treatment team coming to my home every day and a psychiatrist tomorrow. I'm struggling to stay out of hospital.

I'm 54 years old. And I'm seeing that number everywhere. Matthew Perry died as you probably know. He was 54. As an example. This to me means I won't make it to 55.

I moved tempoarily to my Mother's last Monday but it ended up being worse. The second day I was there I looked out her front window. And it was like a realisation that I have been on planet earth for 54 years and woke up on Mars.

I'm back home now hearing voices, noises, tapping behind my neck, next door watching what I'm doing. Implants going off on my body. The voices have started responding, the anti-psychotices, not so much.

It hasn't been this bad in 30 years. That's on top of the foot problem.

54/7 took me to this verse.

Thanks to you and everyone else.

A positive is the realisation that I have spent the last 30 years doing my best to avoid suicide not wishing to seriously carry it through. And challenging the voices now.

---

Wow! Blue! Seriously, you are definitely extremely strong to choose to live life while going through such profoundness. That without a doubt shows how strong your faith is.

I was thinking of the many examples of God communicating through our dreams in the Bible. For example Jacob’s dream of the ladder reaching into heaven. There's many more. Also, in Job 33:14-15 where it basically states that God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. 

Evil can speak to us to this way. You fought evil off, Blue. Amazing!

If you experience chills for no reason, Blue, that's also a sign his spirit is near. May God bring  you peace.

(We will continue to pray for your comfort).