Psalm 13

¹How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
² How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

³ Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
⁴ Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

⁵ But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Sometimes we look at our lives and feel alone. We feel like God isn’t watching us, like He doesn’t care. Sometimes we have no idea what God wants us to do.

I’m certainly not qualified to broadcast what God is or isn’t doing, but I really do believe that sometimes He lets us make our own choices. We, as humans and especially as Americans, love freedom. We love to make our own decisions, well, some of us more than others, I suppose. Still, think about how stifling life would be if we were pawns of God rather than His creation, His children. He’s never really gone from us. Maybe He just wants to test our mettle. He lets us choose our course, and He waits for us to call to Him.

And when we do, our hearts rejoice in His salvation because He deals bountifully with us.

I’m reminded of a moment in C.S. Lewis’ The Magicians Nephew:

“Well, I do think someone might have arranged about our meals,” said Digory.
“I'm sure Aslan would have, if you'd asked him,” said Fledge.
“Wouldn't he know without being asked?” said Polly.
“I've no doubt he would,” said the Horse (still with his mouth full). “But I've a sort of idea he likes to be asked.”