Is God Hiding?

In times of trouble, it certainly seems that way. Believers and unbelievers alike wonder about God when bad things happen.

In the Bible, one often finds the complaint that the Divine Presence has taken a leave of absence. One of my favorites is found in Isaiah 45. The prophet makes a declarative statement about God in verse 15: “Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God and Savior of Israel.” Saviors don’t hide, do they? They’re supposed to be heroes, showing up to save people when all seems lost.

I know. The Bible also says that the heavens declare the glory of God. There are signs of the Creator all around me. Isaiah’s complaint – and mine – is that God seems curiously absent when the human experience goes south. The Creation does not have a personal quality. Primitive religions try to make it personal, but they only end up with superstition. Not real help.

As I thought about this, a story appeared in the Arizona Daily Star about a wounded veteran. It was November 11, so the paper was filled with stories of Americans who gave their lives in the defense of freedom. The story that caught my eye was headlined “Viet vet’s bride never wavered from his side.” Johnny and Flora Brooks were married just before he went to Viet Nam. On November 15, 1969, twenty-year-old Flora learned from a telegram that her Johnny was wounded in action. The paper reported that Johnny returned home without a leg and soon lost the other, along with his ability to speak and the use of his arms.

Flora loves Johnny. Even though his brain injury does not allow him to communicate beyond eye contact, Flora says she shares a rich full life with her husband. She reads Scripture to him, buys DVDs for them to watch together, and talks to him. “I’m way thankful,” she said. “I’m the one that’s still saying ‘Please God, please God, don’t take him yet.’”

It suddenly dawned on me. In my communication with God, I’m a lot like Johnny. I’m the injured one. He's the one who loves and cares for me, even though I struggle to respond. Maybe God orchestrated the story of Johnny and Flora to show others what He is like. The heavens declare the glory of God; so do people, when they behave like Him.

By nature, I am a skeptic. I can easily identify with Philip, the disciple of Jesus who said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Give us some proof – as though our weak eyes and puny brains and defective thought processes are worthy of such proof.

Jesus said, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:8-9).” Jesus claimed to be God incarnate. Anyone who wants to see God should look at Jesus.

God is not hiding. We are.