Abandoned By God

The church where I have the privilege of leaving our young doors to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

She told me he's gotten over the husband to ask that I would pray with them and for them for the family. They been money for several years with some kind of difficulties in conceiving and asked if I would pray, as indeed I did remember receiving the exciting news that the baby was born, but it was quickly followed by another call.

Remember it vividly was a Saturday afternoon I received a call that were some problems and immediately I went to the hospital and then look to this newborn little girl perfect beautiful little girl but was told there were grave, grave problems, she was critically ill, as indeed she was and three weeks later, only three weeks later, after the birth I was standing with her parents as the Lord little casket into an open grave.

These were young believers in Jesus Christ and the prince asked me a question which was a good question. A very understandable question.

Is John where is God. Time passed and the couple and being told it is very unlikely that they would ever have a child of their own had decided to adopt the child and so we prayed with them through that one day they called to tell me the exciting news that a little baby by had been placed with them and that we give thanks to God, but only a few days later I was called to the home and told that the natural mother had changed her mind and the mother and I strongly baby's grandparents wanted the baby and so after some phone calls and checking into the system. This little baby boy again another little boy had to be handed back tragedy. Upon tragedy, upon tragedy and understanding of their home and again they asked John Whitman what is God in all this is God forgotten us has God abandoned us. After all, we have surrendered our life to Jesus Christ and since then look at all of this that this happened, it would been there ever been in a situation where it seemed that God has abandoned you know that God has forgotten all about you and perhaps you wondered if it is a God in these crises of life. Does God really exist or if he does exist.

Does he know that I exist because I feel so alone. I feel so abandoned and even when I pray as I do. It seems that God isn't even listening to me was the point of praying because I prayer nothing happens.

John Wheeler was a theoretical physicist at Princeton University died in 2008 and he said something very interesting. I guess that only a theoretical physicist could say he said time is nature's way of stopping things happening all at once. I thought of that, but sometimes it seems in life that everything does happen that 1001 excruciating difficult situation follows another and were absolutely swamped with overwhelmed we guess we believe in God, we would say with the things that God has disappeared from my life is a frightening painful totally draining situation when you feel abandoned by God, that you never been there and you can't understand it, but I suspect that many of you here have been there certainly done through the centuries. The people of God have felt that way.

Listen to some 10 verse one. While the Lord do you stand far away. Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble.

Yes that's in the Bible some 10 verse one, Psalm 89 verse 46 how long the Lord will you hide yourself forever. God is hidden, it seems God has forsaken us. It seems God doesn't care about us. It seems as if would been abandoned by God. Listen to Isaiah 40 within the leak in the minutes of this wonderful chapter Abbott listen to one verse Isaiah 40 verse 27. Why do you say all Jacob, and speak of Israel. My way is hidden from the Lord on my right hand is disregarded by my God.

Here is Israel saying to God where you disregarding us away is hidden from you with the background of Isaiah 40 verse 27 well Isaiah is making a prophecy.

In fact, between 605 and 586 BC, the superpowered Babylonian comes into Judah into Jerusalem devastates the temple destroys the temple destroys Jerusalem and takes many captives back to babble and recalling the Babylonian captivity including such men as Daniel and Ezekiel. The king of the time, the king of Judah, and Zedekiah. The Babylonians are so ruthless that they take in sons, and he killed his son's name under his sons right in front of his eyes and then they gouge out his eyes are the very last thing he sees is the murder of his own sons and the cake came in exile in the Bible.

Yes, the people of God in Babylonian captivity, and Isaiah, although when he is writing this is happening from the signing of this is going to happen at these events.

Indeed that happened historically as we know, and so in these circumstances is a good question is similarly real question is, God abandoned us. The situation seems absolutely not. Isaiah had previously described and in fact predicted the Assyrians and they conquered Israel. You remember I know he is warning the people of God that this captivity is coming that God is going to take the people of Judah into exile with resulting devastation with resulting feelings of abandonment and so eyes Isaiah is writing. He's writing as it were two people who are presently in exile in Babylon. Even though the events are not yet happened, such as prophecy is one of the greatest of the Old Testament prophets and it seems that God forgotten his people. It seems as if God has abandoned his people.

It seems as if God is going back on his promises.

And so these tragic circumstances we can understand the people saying my way is hidden from the Lord. Things like this are not meant to happen to the people of God with this young couple told me you went through the devastating circumstances things like that are not meant to happen to us, the people of God, God should be revealing himself in the splendor of his glory and his power that should be answering our prayers not ignoring us, not abandoning us to speak this morning on abandoned by God. This reference herein. Isaiah 40 is not the first time as I read from the Psalms that Israel has felt abandoned by God. Psalm 44 and the only verses of Psalm 44 wonderful beginning to the Sam Israel is saying in the past. Lord we trusted you and you and you give us victory in battle we had them from her father's we had them from our grandfathers. We are that they went to battle and you gave them the victory.

Psalm 44 verse 64 not in my board do I trust nor can my sword save me but you God has saved me from her follows and have put to shame.

Those who hate us in God. We boasted continually and we will give thanks to your name forever you get the point is good. Listen when our forefathers went to the battle they can depend on the military power. There are chairs of their horses are there are more interested in you and you delivered you give them the victory within Psalm 44 takes a dramatic turn verse nine but you have rejected and disgraced us until not deny with armies you made us come back from the fall and those who hate us have gotten smile. You made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations in her life was about to been following the Lord Jesus for some time.

We can look back when God answered their prayers when God helped us when we cry Doug in desperation to the Lord and the Lord in effect delivered but now in this situation is calm.

That's what Israel is saying this is happened. You delivered us in the past, but now our enemies are decimating us when disgraced with a laughingstock Psalm 44 defeated in Bible ribbing ridiculed by the pagan nations and we don't understand we crying out to you for help with putting our trust in you, but you're not answering our prayers God, we simply don't understand it. It doesn't make sense when God abandons his people with singers experience that you're facing right now some of you is feelings that have been experienced by the people of God times were written thousand years before Christ. That's 3000 years ago, people said that the nurse and her husband said that to me and some of you.

I think many of you could stand and say John we can relate not been right there. Edward Thomas, although having Jewish forefathers is a passionate atheist to members of his family were killed in the Holocaust. He said if the God of the Bible actually exists. I want to sue him for negligence for being asleep at the wheel of the universe with my grandfather and uncle were aghast that experts abandoned by God. This is a common view that if there is a God. When these tragedies happen. These devastating circumstances he's he's absent is asleep is abandoned us know what are we the people of God to do in these devastating circumstances will open your Bibles to Isaiah 40 if it's not already opened because were going to arrange a brilliant answer. Isaiah brilliantly, not just in chapter 14, but in the remainder from 4366 gives magnificent profound answers to this question a real question.

A deep question, one which doesn't which the spiritual cliché doesn't help with his essay and the challenges and struggles of life. What do we do is Isaiah's answer is my answer is God's answer will hold your God, because Isaiah 40 verse nine, first of all, go up to high my intent on Zion Harold of good news. Lift up your voice with strands of Jerusalem pedaled of good news, lifted up, fear not, say to the cities of Judah will hold your God in these struggles and trials of life. Don't look to yourself. Don't dwell too much on the circumstances, they will depress you and discourage her will overwhelm you, but behold, your God, Isaiah tells us in verse 30 that we are often faint and weary Christian life can be tough going the times when were weary.

The times and were tired.

There's times when we wonder if we can keep going in following Jesus Christ. It's so difficult in these circumstances come into our life. That is true we are faint we are sometimes weary. We are sometimes discouraged but will hold your recognize. Isaiah is telling us that you are powerless to handle the difficult situations in life.

You think you're pretty good you think you got everything under control. God has his ways doesn't hate to show us you you're not in control you're not in charge to behold, your God, the problems are too complex for you. Look up look back at verse six voice cries voice is try and I said what shall I cry all flash is grass, and all his beauty like the float of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades when the wrath of the Lord blows on it. Surely the people are grass. What's Isaiah doing. He's reminding us of the frailty and the brevity of life. Grass looks wonderful today. Tomorrow is gone. Your health failure on the crest of the wave your business is going so well and your family are just a tremendous family and you keep telling everyone how wonderful they are, but in microseconds.

All of that can come tumbling down country you think are the healthiest person you might be in one minute that could change all flesh is like grass like the beauty of the flower. Here is a flower today. It is breathtakingly beautiful tomorrow. What happens is weathered and the lease on the federal start falling off soon withers and dies. That's the point. Here's a picture of the night blooming Sirius that beautiful flower.

Do you realize that that flower only blooms one night a year can flow you want in your house. Is it because for 364 days of the year. It looks like a leathery weed but for one night. It even comes out in the night. Even the day and it comes out and is beautiful.

The species open so this beautiful silky white flour encircled with these yellow lace like threads with another flower in the flower like a tiny see an enemy absolutely gorgeous, beautiful creation but is only there for one night, one year and is gone. Some of you are thinking, and I can't remember all the details because it's a long time since the watch Dennis the Menace with my son.

But there was a flower that presently remember the movies. Some of you watch movies. I know you figure Bible logotype, but some people will understand this, that there is a there's a flower and there Mr. Wilson's cultivates it. I don't what Dennis distracts him or something and he doesn't see the actual flower bloom only lives like once a year or something or every four years. As I was a brilliant writer is he doing using the grass and the flowers mentioned by Zion metaphors of the fragility of your existence and the brevity of your existence. So what can we do in these devastating circumstances of life which very very often about control negative. Don't look to yourself for a solution. We live in a self-help age. Bookstores are full of solutions and techniques for all kinds of situations but not one of them is the answer for this and the severity of our problem should produce in us humility and dependence, as I say see in verse nine behold, your God, here is think of this two weeks ago.

Here is an unchanging and unchangeable foundation God, we saw a couple weeks ago as described by Isaiah as the rock the permanent rock so look away from yourself away from your own ideas and opinions of our secular culture. Their fleeting will only imprison you in your own thoughts and feelings is Isaiah going to say the heavens and the African passed away. But God's word will not pass away. Here is the very anchor for our souls. The eternal truths of the word of God. We have verse eight. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of God will stand forever. Unlike human solutions philosophies on psychologies and opinions. God's word is true and steadfast, and it will last forever or does Isaiah begin his wonderful prophecy back in chapter 1 verse one tells you that God gives Isaiah's vision and is going to receive it. During the life of Fort of the Kings last one book being Zion Isaiah probably is a prophet but about 5060 years he prophesied during the reign of Fort Kings at least four kings but then in verse two he says this hero heavens and give ear for the Lord spoke mostly to do today. I'm asking you to behold, your God. I'm asking you to listen to God look at God and to listen to him in the struggles and challenges of life. Here are words of comfort, words of encouragement, words of truth. Words of grace. Isaiah is saying to the people you're going to be in Babylonian captivity. But notice how he begins chapter for me to people who have sins and turn from him, comfort, comfort my people so is your God speak tenderly to Jerusalem and trying to hurt that her warfare is ended that our iniquity is pardoned that she has received from the Lord sent double for all her sins. Look at verse 11. He will tend his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arms he will carry them in his bosom and gently lead those that are you wearing Creek heart and the worst of circumstances.

Humans comfort gives whole.

Here is the answer.

Listen to the word of God turn to the word of God is unchangeable raw listen to God and the bold.

Your God will hold your incomparable God is around was especially by God's eyes been tell you member and previously was a couple of weeks ago. His income trust in these idols. Why would you trust the night of which arrived I don't know your sports team.

Your financial balance, your family, your home your pleasures. All of that money. Kelly will not help you in this day of trouble.

These idols looking at the incomparable God.

Verse 12 who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand to give all of the oceans of the world. The great Atlantic Pacific Indian Ocean. Think of them all, as I scissors like in the home of God's hand possibly got his unmarked off the heavens with a span the heavens the universe. The cosmos space scientist don't know how big it is, what the God is like measuring it off with a span. What was a span managers was between your thumb and your largest finger for me. I measured it yesterday. Mine is 9 inches all of that training compared with God enclosed the dust of the act and a measure width among fins and scales and the hills in a balance is using metaphors to show how big God is. He's the awesome God and these infinite in his size and power.

Verse 13 who has measured the spirit of the Lord on what man or what man shows him his counsel. Whom did he consult and who made him understand who taught him the path of justice and talk to knowledge and showed him the way of understanding I made whose God's advisor is going to cancel God delayed in the chapter God's understanding is on searchable.

You can't advise God you think you know better than God, and you think you can to God advice aside and give them some advice about your life. You think you can really do better than God, the great Creator, the one who made the heavens and the eye during your insinuation. In essence, I like the way that you think you think you could advise God you think you could do better. You think you're wiser than God knows everything about their 16 well verse 50 will hold the nations alike have dropped from a bucket take United States and Russia to Koran think North and South America take all of Africa take all of Asia. All of the continents for the Messiah. God is like a drop in the bucket undirected and that I commented as the dust on the scales something you hardly notice bold. He takes out the coastlands like flying dust nations are just like dust or six in Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, not audits piece enough for the burnt offering what was Lebanon famous for the cedars of Lebanon's magnificent trees.

Isaiah says you can take all of the trees, a Lebanon you can take all of the animals and present burnt offerings to God and are simply not enough.

Not sufficient. Verse 17 all the nations are as nothing before him that a commented by him as less than nothing, and empty the pounding of one country, the military power the economic power. All of the creativity of all of the nation's measure them against God, and they are simply nothing in fact, the empty totally worthless to them than verse 18 we like in God or what likeness compare with him a Isaiah loves crusaders he says it over and over again. In other words, God is incomparable. There is no one that comes even close to call of the nations.

All of the brilliance of man put it altogether. Take all of the oceans to gold universe and measured against God and his microscopic effect and Mike's apps. Nothing verse 21. Do you not know. Do you know here as I see you not getting the points I did not been told you from the beginning.

Have you not understood from the foundations of the do you not yet understand how great God is and how small you are and why would you go to the idols. Why would you waste your life and efforts which ultimately are meaningless. Verse 22 it is he who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers good and I wish you and your friend runs all over yesterday and were up on the top bunk and either the case I meet someone and though say to me, a pastor we didn't know you were so tall. I'm 6 feet which I think is the perfect height about was felt, and I said you must sit on the balcony and up the balcony doing down here about fansites think big. God is think how high God is whether we would like tiny little grasshoppers is the point who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to dwell in who brings Princess to nothing and makes the rulers of the arts as emptiness the princes, the presidents, the prime minister, the potentates, the CEOs important people, the rulers of the world take them all what are they nothing makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness scarcely are.

They planted scarcely shown. So in verse 24 scarcely has the same taken root in the art when he blows on them and they were there and the temptress carries them off like stubble people were amazed when.

The poet of hurricane Dorian size, as we watch on television is that the good news you compared with a pilot and might of God is absolutely nothing and all of the power of the most powerful nation in the world.

In fact, the cumulative part of all of the nations in the world cannot stop that hurricane we can predict that we have an idea what is going but then people would say it's got a mind of its own. Really not sure on the sadly it just is icing. There he blows in them and the weather. The temptress counties, flexible as the power of God. Listen to think of the positive. Dorian think how powerful God's asking you you holding your incomparable God. Verse 25 to whom then will you compare me that I should be like him, says the holy one, lift up your eyes on high and see who created these he brings either host by number calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might and because he is strong and power, not one is missing. Go outside and look at the stars I did to get there. God created them was more powerful than the Arabs we created them. Furthermore, he so wisely gives names every single one of them would on the Lebanese ours that our God knows God made them and he gives names to every single one that strength that power vast wisdom. That's knowledge. I know you have struggles. I know you have challenges. I am by no means means diminishing the pain and the devastation which may be in your life. I am not diminishing that a tall as a pastor that I have some idea of the pain that people go through them saying to you will hold your incomparable also unique. God you holding you looking at current let stand and read Isaiah 40 verses 28 through 31, defendant read this together. Have you not known how do not hurt. The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the he does not faint or grow weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. It meant. Please be seated. The hold your God as to his generation.

Isaiah is saying he is the everlasting God, the Lord is the everlasting God as to his power.

He is the Almighty Creator of the ends of the there are no boundaries or limitations to God's power his strength is infinite, who is like this.

God, as that is God. He is immutable. He doesn't faint or grow weary. God's power, strength never runs out. You may be very energetic. At the beginning of the day. At the very very tired at the end of the day, those who are playing football today will be very energetic. At the beginning of the game, but by the end of it. Some of them can hardly walk in them to get that extra oxygen and there meant to be men at the peak when I'm there had to have that shows how strong they are biweekly are as I said even the strongest of men fall stumble, but God is never time God is never weary, God will never ever face. As to his knowledge. He is a Missy and Isaiah says here in verse 28 is understanding is on searchable knows everything about everything.*Character he's gracious. Verse 29 figure gracious God is, he gives power his power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength to hold your God with all of God's attributes are infinite in their perfection by the more you will hold your God, the more you know God more. Your love God more. You look to God the less your struggles and challenges will overwhelm you.

Isaiah is saying wait for the Lord as you wait for the Lord to be renewed and strength as you wait for the Lord, as you will hold the Lord something which you think is impossible is going to happen, rather than being faint. Rather than being weary, you're going to soar high with wings like eagles with a contrast in the World War II, the Allied forces swept through Germany searching farms and houses for snipers in the basement of an abandoned house behind the crumbling wall, a victim of the Holocaust and scratched the side of David, and beneath that you'd written these words I believe in the son even when it does not shine. I believe in love even when it is not showing I believe in God even when he does note I'm saying to you today God is saying to you, God has not abandoned you know, I realize every single one of us has failed God in the past we send with my stop. Israel certainly had been in captivity but God did not forget his ancient people, and God has not forgotten you.

Some of you have other very very sad experience of having parents husband or wife a child a friend a sibling at one time said they love you and you believe them but no they no longer love you know that child that spouse, that friend that sibling has in the sense abandoned you. Once they said they loved you know they don't. Some are good and I were walking along the beach and I know you think are denied because we come from northern Europe without romance.

We just want talk about it much. We prefer action rather than words. But I'll do show your romantic my wife is were walking along the beach and she stops and she draws a heart and then she puts John in the middle of it and me.

I was deeply moved almost brought tears to my glass. I mean it was I was there was it was touching right.

She still loves me after all these years and forgiving of many reasons not to love me. She still loves me. We walk along I look back waves of time and watch the thing all gone and you can imagine after hurricane Dorian that beach is impossible for me to go back and Deluca got hard with my name on it know it's gone, it's gone forever.

Washer was in two and if you have your Bible turn to it because this is incredible. Isaiah 49 verse 14. Listen to this. This is magnificent.

Isaiah 49 verse 14, but Zion said people of God, the Lord has forsaken me my Lord has forgotten me that it is something you feel that today right now. Verse 18 verse 15 can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb. Even these may forget yes it is possible it does happen that even woman who gave birth to a boy or a girl can turn their back on them in the lock no longer love 31 child that does happen. Sad and tragic as it is bond, says the Lord. Yet I will not forget you will hold I've engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before me think of brother sister contest with you. Your engraved on the palms of his hands.

Think of that he loves you. Your engraved on the palms of his hand, and God has plans and purposes for your life. I understand you may not understand them. I others understand that as you look at your life is one that I was all going to work out I can answer that but I do know that a God who loves you.

Who cares for you and who is working all things for your good under his loving and sovereign. He is not, and that there is nothing, nothing in the whole universe member. Paul's magnificent argument and in the rooms that there's nothing which can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. God not only is with us. We were singing about that God not only is with us he's fought us. He's on our side as one who walks with me is for me always seeking the best for me.

Plans that are best. Yes, it can be child yesterday can be struggles yesterday can be deep, deep, deep, deep pain, but overall is a loving and the sovereign God today. Hold your God reaffirm your faith in God look to God to help you today. Keep crying out to God. God has not forgotten you suffering does not mean that God has abandoned you for your trust in God will hold your God, our God never ever ever abandons his children. He is resides on to tell us Emmanuelle God with us on the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ declares that God does not abandon his children. Remember when Thomas doubted that the Lord had been raised from the dead as Jesus comes with busy duties as listen, take a look at my hands and then prints there's the very evidence that I die, I'm here. I'm risen from the dead. Here is a very evidence of my hands on my love for you engraved on the palms of his fate you're really discouraged with life struggles and pressures you to wait for the Lord.

This waiting is not like being in the doctor's waiting room know this waiting on the Lord is admitting will you do this the day that you cannot buy yourself.

Solve your problems.

This waiting on God is looking away from your struggles looking away from the challenges and looking at God for holding your God. This is a confidence and a patient trust in God that he will act.

I'm not sure how you like God. I'm not sure of your timing. I'm not sure I will get through this, but I know that you are with me. I know that you love me and my hope is in you this day and forevermore. And this is is you wait for them will do the impossible. Many of you here and you have experience it as I have, although your faint and weary. Not only is your strength renewed your mind. Talk with wings like eagles you will soar high above the challenges and the struggles of life and know that God has not abandoned or my thinking today I'm saying, behold, your God, and saying listen to your God. Have you not known, have you not heard the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the art he does not faint or grow weary.

His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength even use shall faint on young men shall fall exhausted but they who wait for the Lord. We do this, those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall walk and not be weary, they shall run and not faint. Bold God father we do that arise are not on ourselves with her on you and I pray for every single person here.

Some of them have overwhelming circumstances right no, we may know nothing about them, but you do deal tenderly with the father she dealt with your ancient people. Thank you that you speak words not of condemnation but words of whole ports of grace, but you are with us for some dear father who have never yet come to the cross of Christ.

We don't know the supernatural power, but never experience your forgiveness and I pray that you will open their eyes to see their sin open their eyes to see the beauty of the Savior that they will run to him and say what must I do to be saved and that they will call upon his name refreshes father reaffirm us, renew our strength.

We put our trust in you this day and forevermore in Christ name, amen