“Shall I hide from Abraham what I’m about to do?” (Gen.. 18.17).
When God tells you everything, hiding nothing from you, it could get scary. Imagine Abraham having the knowledge of a total wipe out of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham probably had some distressful times here.
What if God tells you your entire country is going to disappear from the world map?
Thus, sometimes I thank God for hiding some things from me. I thank God for God’s “darkness.”
Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. [Isaiah 45.15]
But there are some things I want to know, facts he hides from me. Like, why am I not given any answer for the request I’ve been asking him—money to repair our badly damaged house and income from my Internet businesses to sustain my family and ministry?
Do you have requests from God that remain unanswered?
I’ve been asking God for residual income so that I do not become hostage to people who lend or give us money when we’re short. Most people think they own you just because you owe them or received money from them. They’d say they never try to control people indebted to them, but there they are.
I have been managing some blog sites (I earn some money from them but not residually) in hopes of someday soon getting residual income from them to sustain my needs—with God’s grace and blessing. This way, I get my resources really straight from God—not from man—although tithes and offerings are a way through which resources also come straight from God.
However, I now understand much, much better why Paul would rather support himself through his tent-making trade. And why the Acts church had to sell their properties and goods instead of solicit or ask donations.
Paul accepted offerings and tithes—but his experience was that men could not be relied on with these. They always think it a favor they give you, not a God-resource that they do not own, not realizing tithes are the holy portion they should return to God. If you are convicted of something that isn’t yours, you’ll return it to the owner pronto and not think even a second that it’s yours. Even most non-believers know this.
I’d rather get my major income from my online marketing—and get my resources straight from God. But God hides this from me. He knows how much I need it now, but for some reason, he hides it. It’s one of the facets of God’s “darkness” I do not enjoy.
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him– the dark rain clouds of the sky. [Psalm 18.11]
Sometimes I muse: If I had a son whose house is in bad shape and riddled with termites, and I had the money, I’d surely send help immediately. God is my Father and he knows my need even before I say anything to him. And yet this goes on for years without any answer. Is this some kind of a test or training? For what? I already know too well that HE is God, and that besides Him there is no other.
Yet, we often see God immediately provide money to those who don’t need it so much as we do. We see people who have so much money they do not know how to spend it. Their luxurious living is not enough to drain their money reserves with. And yet they do not give a damn about God or His Kingdom.
However, the funny thing is, God easily pours resources on them, even if these guys never pray except to their gods. These thoughts sometimes trouble me. I’m not asking God for meaningless luxury like some people have—but only what I need for my family and ministry so I won’t ask or borrow money from people.
Have you ever wondered why the wicked are blessed? Even Jeremiah, the prophet, once wondered: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?”
Here’s the passage:
You are always righteous, LORD, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? [Jeremiah 12]
Perhaps like me, you do not ask God for a mansion—but just enough money to live decently, without having to rely on men. Like, repair money to make your house safe to live in, and perhaps to hold Word sessions and training in. Money to have you and your family live decent (not pitiful) lives, and money to help others with.
I hope God won’t hide from me. God’s darkness is great, but how about experiencing His bounty full-swing this time?
GOD's Flesh 