Many years ago, to accommodate a beloved elderly but frail professor, a small college created a studio apartment for him on the top floor of their main building.
This proved to be an ideal arrangement since he could take an elevator down to his classroom and office. However, staff and students occasionally had some interesting questions, and one frequent query was, “Don’t you get lonely up there?”
The professor had a ready answer. “No, my only neighbor above me is God. He’s busy, but He’s quiet.”
God worked in the same way as He enabled Esther to help preserve His people, the Jews. Only months before, she had unexpectedly risen from obscurity to become queen of Persia. In time, as events unfolded, she learned about the threat to her people and also realized she could help them because she was the queen. God had been busily working behind the scenes, but he was quiet.
The Lord is also busy in our lives. Because He may be silent, we are sometimes surprised when we suddenly discern His ongoing presence.
How does that occur? Perhaps He answers a once-uttered but long-forgotten prayer. Or maybe as He presents a solution to a long-term struggle, our worries immediately dissipate. Often, we don’t realize what He’s done until we look back to past events. Then we stand amazed.
Because God works so silently, we never know what we might discover as we follow Him. What do you think you’ll find in your life? And all for your benefit and His glory.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Anne Adams is a retired church staffer living in Athens, Texas, where she writes a historical column for the local newspaper. Her book Brittany, Child of Joy, tells about her mentally disabled daughter and was published in 1986 by Broadman. She has taught junior college history and has published in Christian and secular publications for forty years.