Our God the Rock

Click. Click. Smiling faces looked into cameras on phones, as people took pictures and selfies along the White Rock Pier, the longest in Canada. It boasts an impressive 470 meters in length. My sister, our friend Olivia and I, had decided to play tourist in White Rock, BC for the day, May 1st 2024.

We walked to the end of the pier. The view was beautiful. Looking back, we could see numerous rows of houses tiered against a backdrop of trees.

The Semiahmoo Bay water rolled lazily to a gentle breeze. Quaint restaurants lined the street which made this location such a popular tourist attraction.

On our list of things to see was the 486-ton white granite rock from which the city received its name.

From the end of the pier, we could see it, a small white rock. People milled around it taking pictures. As we strolled closer, it loomed bigger. I was surprised to find it was much larger than my initial perception from the far end of the pier. It had seemed rather insignificant. But now, standing next to it, the boulder towered above me.

As I posed for a picture with the rock behind me, I reflected on God our Rock. Sometimes when I pray, He seems obscure, silent, unreachable and distant. Yet there are days I feel His presence, so close, in such a tangible way.

Why do we sometimes feel He is near and other times feel He is so distant? We read Scripture, but still walk away sometimes feeling empty and lost. We pray to hear from God but silence is the answer. Our praise and worship echoes back to us, empty and hollow. He seems so far on His throne, aloof and untouchable by our urgent petitions.

Does He sometimes take a sabbatical from His children? Does He get tired of our repeated sins, disobedience and just walk away?

No. The key word is ‘seems’ It is we that wander away from His side, propelled by our emotions and driven by circumstances. We are tossed about, driven this way and that, by our thoughts and feelings. Our perception of His nearness is dictated by what’s taking place in our lives at that moment.

Hannah broke out into a prayer that exalted and lifted up God’s name when she conceived. She had been barren for many years and probably went through seasons where she felt like giving up and accepting her plight. But she persisted in prayer and her petition was granted. In her anguish she did not allow her feelings and facts to cloud the truth. She likens her Creator to a rock.

1 Samuel 2:2 
There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside Thee: neither is there any Rock like our God.

God does not move away from us. He is our Rock. We know this because the Word says so.

Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

If you are going through a challenging time where you don’t sense His presence, step back and look at it from a different perspective. Silence does not mean that God has left you. Are you keeping step with your Father or have you unintentionally wandered away from His side?

Does the silence mean He is asking you to trust Him and be still? Have you run ahead of Him and need to slow down?  From where you are standing, He may seem far, so instead of focusing on the problem, draw near to Him quietly. Wait with expectation and you will be rewarded.

In His Service,

Sohani Faria
Director
Sound of the Lord Mission