when God leaves ..

sometimes
   God backs-off
   just pulls a reverse
   leaves us there
      hangin'

   leaves ..

God abandons us
for a time

..

have you ever cried-out to God
got no response
as in zero ..
nothing there ..

" where are you ! ?? "

" why don't you answer me ? ... . ? " ?

`|`

i know the scripture .. ' i will never leave you nor forsake you ' ..

God doesn't forsake us
God forsakes us
for a time
for our good

..

one of Hebrews' issues is God's testing us
and it's a point worthy of serious consideration, because it's repeated throughout, with warnings attached

the prime illustrator used is Israel
rightly so, since they were the people God was going to use to win the world back

God displayed a strong arm in bringing them out of slavery in Egypt, humbling the Egyptians,
using a man God had humbled 40 years,
a runner-from Egypt, for murder
a man who had been raised as son of the imperial court
taught and trained under the best
..

God does things in wavy freaky twisty ways
befuddling the mind ..

..

God releases them, forcibly
leads them out
   leave
Egypt

..

then God
   leaves
them ..

o, they saw the cloud, the fire
but they didn't see God
or hear God
only Moses did

and they got antsy
mouthed-off
complained
accused Moses
accused God

said they wanted to
   leave
go back

..

it wasn't a big deal for God to give them meat
and water ..
   when they got tired of the sameol-sameol manna
eventually God did

what God was driving-at was
' are you with me ? '
' are you in ? '
as in in for the long haul
in, regardless

as in ' do you trust me ? ' .. ?

that is the issue with God

' i need you to be my child, to show the world who i am, what i am ..
but i need to know i can trust you ..
can i .. ? '    ..

`|`

so God simply stepped-back
to see what they would do

and they did respond
but not with faith
they responded with rebel

the Good News was preached to them too, just like it is to us
but it accomplished nothing in themm
because they didn't respond in faith
   with trust
faith didn't get in the mix ..
so God rejected them
God said ' you will not enter my Rest ' ..

God had promised them a land of their own
a land ' flowing with milk and honey '
and God was dead-on serious .. some eventually got there, got that ..
but not this generation, God did that for the next generation of Israel

and then ..
God tested them

and then, God tested

and tests
to this day

.. Rest

`|`

God is into testing
because God is not into mouthing-off
not into pretense
posturing
facades and whitewash
talk talk
labels and tattooed crosses
fancy church buildings
displays and promotions
..

God is real
God wants real
   more than anything

that's why God refuses the sacrifices and offerings and ..
God says ' don't bring it; i don't want it '
lots of talk and posturing
   but your heart
      is far from me
your heart
is
far
from me

' i rejected them
'cause they rejected me .. '

`|`

God isn't a fool
God is not a human that God lies
   or doesn't see our lieing
      our facade
      painted face for the world

God is into real

when we come to God
bring the real

`|`

so
consider ..
if we're going to be ' christian ', follow Christ
best do that
as in ' do ' that
and not play
   games ..
God is so not into playing games

when times get tough
when we lose-out
when people walk away
when ' friends ' un-friend
when all seems lost
bottoming-out
and we stand there ..
   all alone
   where to turn ?
   who is out there ?
   what do i do now ?
   where to now ?

that is just the time to hang-on ..
hang on !
do not turn back
don't do it ..

back there is slavery, bondage, inhuman
unhuman

how can we turn back
after tasting of the Spirit and the gifts and the release and experiencing God in all Godgoodness ..

it's impossible to renew to repentance those that do ..
they do despite unto the Spirit of grace
trample underfoot the Son
and treat the blood of the covenant as if it were a vulgar thing

we must hold on
God is God
what else is there ?
.. even when God is not there

because even when God is not there
God is there

God isn't playing games, friend
God is serious
about us
about you
and me

God wants us in
as in all in
as in committed, whatever the cost, whatever .. regardless

`|`

God tests our resolve ..
are we serious about this
or just playin' ?
using God for convenience, when it suits us ..

then when things get rough ..
man .. i'm not doing this anymore

it is those that endure
persist
refuse to turn back
patiently waiting on God to God it

those are the children of God

friend, what child doesn't experience discipline
if you do, it's proof you are God's child
be thankful your GodParent treats you like a Godchild
recognize it for what it is
bear-up in that discipline
..
God wants us to share in GodHoliness
God wants Godchildren that experience Godholiness
know what it is to share in Godnature
understand who God is
experience
God
in all Godfullness
filled with all the fullness of Godself
one with God
God in us
us in God
one

`|`


what is it worth to you ..