Embracing God's Hiddenness: Faith Amidst Suffering
Summary
As we approach Christmas, we reflect on the profound mystery of Advent, a time when God invites us to journey through life with Him. This season reminds us that while we can choose to navigate our days with or without God, the richness of life is found in His presence. Advent is a time of waiting, often in darkness, for the revelation of God’s light. This waiting is not passive but filled with anticipation and hope, even when God seems hidden from our understanding.
Drawing from the writings of Fleming Rutledge, we explore the concept of God’s hiddenness. Rutledge suggests that understanding God involves recognizing what we do not know about Him. This apophatic theology, or the knowledge of God through negation, challenges us to embrace the mystery of God’s nature. The story of Moses, who was shielded from seeing God’s face, illustrates this divine hiddenness. In our darkest moments, when answers elude us, faith requires us to trust that God is present, even if unseen.
The narrative of Herod’s massacre of the innocents during Jesus’ birth is a stark reminder of the world’s suffering. The lament of Rachel weeping for her children, as recounted in Jeremiah, echoes through history, resonating with the pain of countless parents who have lost children. This story, often overlooked in the Christmas narrative, underscores the reality of suffering and the need for a faith that acknowledges and holds space for lament.
In our journey of faith, we are called to grapple with the hiddenness of God and the reality of suffering. This is not a faith that offers easy answers but one that invites us to trust in God’s presence amidst the unknown. The story of Mary, a young girl who said yes to God’s plan, challenges us to see the humanity and courage in biblical figures. By imagining them as real people with real struggles, we deepen our understanding of their faith and our own.
Key Takeaways:
1. Journeying with God: Life is richer when we choose to walk with God, especially during Advent, a season of waiting and anticipation. This journey is not about having all the answers but about trusting in God’s presence, even when He seems hidden. [01:24]
2. The Hiddenness of God: Understanding God involves embracing the mystery of His hiddenness. Apophatic theology teaches us to know God by acknowledging what we do not know, inviting us to trust in His presence beyond our understanding. [04:21]
3. Lament in Faith: The story of Herod’s massacre and Rachel’s lament reminds us that faith must hold space for suffering and unanswered questions. True faith acknowledges pain and trusts in God’s presence amidst it. [10:38]
4. The Humanity of Biblical Figures: Imagining biblical figures as real people with real struggles, like Mary, enriches our understanding of their faith and courage. This perspective invites us to see them as relatable and inspiring examples. [18:40]
5. Trusting in God’s Presence: In our darkest moments, faith calls us to trust that God is present, even if unseen. This trust is not about having all the answers but about believing in God’s goodness and love, even when hidden. [08:24]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:24] - Journeying with God
- [02:44] - Reflections on Advent
- [03:45] - The Hiddenness of God
- [05:24] - Humor and Humanity
- [06:12] - Waiting in Darkness
- [07:19] - Faith and Hiddenness
- [08:07] - Trusting in God’s Presence
- [09:10] - Overlooked Christmas Stories
- [10:38] - Lament in Faith
- [11:54] - The Reality of Suffering
- [13:14] - God in Our Hardships
- [14:25] - Visualizing Faith
- [16:10] - The Other Side of the Door
- [18:40] - The Humanity of Mary
- [21:22] - Finding God in New Ways
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Exodus 33:18-23 - The story of Moses being shielded from seeing God's face.
2. Jeremiah 31:15 - Rachel weeping for her children.
3. Matthew 2:16-18 - Herod's massacre of the innocents.
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Observation Questions:
1. In Exodus 33:18-23, why does God shield Moses from seeing His face, and what does this tell us about God's nature? [04:55]
2. How does the story of Herod's massacre in Matthew 2:16-18 fit into the larger narrative of Jesus' birth, and why is it often overlooked in the Christmas story? [09:10]
3. What is the significance of Rachel's lament in Jeremiah 31:15, and how does it relate to the theme of suffering in the sermon? [10:18]
4. How does the sermon describe the concept of God's hiddenness, and what examples are given to illustrate this idea? [04:21]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of apophatic theology, or knowing God through what we do not know, challenge traditional views of understanding God? [04:21]
2. In what ways does the story of Herod's massacre and Rachel's lament invite us to hold space for suffering and unanswered questions in our faith journey? [10:38]
3. How does imagining biblical figures like Mary as real people with real struggles deepen our understanding of their faith and courage? [18:40]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the role of faith in times of darkness and uncertainty, and how can this perspective be applied to personal experiences of hardship? [08:24]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God's presence was hidden. How did you respond, and what might you do differently now to trust in His presence? [08:24]
2. How can you create space in your faith for lament and unanswered questions, especially when faced with personal or global suffering? [10:38]
3. Consider the biblical figure of Mary. How can her story inspire you to say "yes" to God's plan, even when it seems daunting or unclear? [18:40]
4. In what ways can you embrace the mystery of God in your daily life, acknowledging what you do not know about Him? [04:21]
5. How can you support someone in your life who is experiencing a season of darkness or hiddenness, offering them hope and presence without needing to provide answers? [11:22]
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to trust in God's presence. What steps can you take this week to cultivate a deeper trust in His unseen work? [08:24]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of waiting with anticipation and hope during this Advent season, even when God seems hidden from your understanding? [06:12]
Devotional
Day 1: Walking in Anticipation with God
Life is a journey, and during Advent, this journey takes on a special significance as we are invited to walk with God in anticipation and hope. Advent is not merely a time of passive waiting but an active engagement with the mystery of God's presence in our lives. It is a season that reminds us of the richness found in choosing to navigate life with God, even when He seems hidden from our understanding. This journey is about trusting in God's presence and embracing the unknown with faith and hope. As we walk through Advent, we are called to open our hearts to the possibility of encountering God in new and unexpected ways. [01:24]
Isaiah 30:21 (ESV): "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."
Reflection: In what ways can you actively seek God's presence in your daily life during this Advent season, even when He seems hidden?
Day 2: Embracing the Mystery of God
Understanding God involves embracing the mystery of His hiddenness. Apophatic theology, or the knowledge of God through negation, invites us to acknowledge what we do not know about God. This approach challenges us to trust in God's presence beyond our understanding, recognizing that His ways are higher than ours. The story of Moses, who was shielded from seeing God's face, illustrates this divine hiddenness. In our darkest moments, when answers elude us, faith requires us to trust that God is present, even if unseen. This trust is not about having all the answers but about believing in God's goodness and love, even when hidden. [04:21]
Job 11:7-9 (ESV): "Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's presence, even when you do not fully understand His ways?
Day 3: Holding Space for Lament
The story of Herod’s massacre and Rachel’s lament reminds us that faith must hold space for suffering and unanswered questions. True faith acknowledges pain and trusts in God’s presence amidst it. The narrative of Rachel weeping for her children, as recounted in Jeremiah, echoes through history, resonating with the pain of countless parents who have lost children. This story, often overlooked in the Christmas narrative, underscores the reality of suffering and the need for a faith that acknowledges and holds space for lament. In our journey of faith, we are called to grapple with the hiddenness of God and the reality of suffering. [10:38]
Lamentations 3:32-33 (ESV): "But, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men."
Reflection: How can you create space in your life to acknowledge and process your own pain and the pain of others, trusting in God's presence amidst it?
Day 4: Seeing the Humanity in Biblical Figures
Imagining biblical figures as real people with real struggles, like Mary, enriches our understanding of their faith and courage. This perspective invites us to see them as relatable and inspiring examples. Mary, a young girl who said yes to God’s plan, challenges us to see the humanity and courage in biblical figures. By imagining them as real people with real struggles, we deepen our understanding of their faith and our own. This approach helps us to connect with their stories on a personal level, inspiring us to live out our faith with similar courage and trust in God. [18:40]
James 5:17-18 (ESV): "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit."
Reflection: How can you draw inspiration from the humanity and faith of biblical figures in your own spiritual journey?
Day 5: Trusting in God's Unseen Presence
In our darkest moments, faith calls us to trust that God is present, even if unseen. This trust is not about having all the answers but about believing in God’s goodness and love, even when hidden. The journey of faith is not always easy, and there are times when God seems distant or hidden from our understanding. Yet, it is in these moments that we are called to trust in His presence and hold onto the hope that He is with us, guiding us through the unknown. This trust is a testament to our faith and a reminder of God's unwavering love and goodness. [08:24]
2 Corinthians 4:18 (ESV): "As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to trust in God's unseen presence, and how can you actively cultivate this trust today?
Quotes
"well it is almost Christmas and we've been walking together through Advent with this idea that uh in Jesus God is offering his life together with him you're going to go through the day anyway you can go through it I can go through it with God or I can go through it without God and it's much better to go through it with goddd and it's always a good day when I get to go through at least a part of it with this person right here This Is War chbg Turner always a good day always a good day" [00:01:12]
"she has this really great book of um collected sermons really that are kind of about Advent um or about other things that have to do with themes of Advent and so she had this beautiful sermon that was all about um the God who hides and in that essay or sermon she talks a little bit about this idea that um you know it's it's one of the best reasons to read through the Old Testament is because it's just full of descriptions of what God is like" [00:03:41]
"so if we were to live in a world where we couldn't say anything positive about what God is not positive like you go girl but you know like you go God I am not these things um how would we know God and so she talks a lot about um you know the passage where Moses wants to see the face of God for example and God puts him in a little CFT in the Rock and um covers them up" [00:04:34]
"and there's such um one of the things fluming rled writes about is like of course we can't know what God is like of course God is beyond our imagination in his hiddenness because we didn't come up with God so like what makes us think that we can just kind of take every piece apart and understand God like he was some you know clock um and we could understand by by breaking down the sum of his Parts what he is like" [00:06:26]
"there's no point in having a faith that doesn't believe that God is hidden and doesn't have some kind of Illumination or understanding as to why because faith that doesn't grapple with that is a fairly shallow faith faith and she she gave this sermon right around the time of the Sandy Hook massacre so there are all these very young children you know my son's age who had died there's there's no answer for why" [00:07:11]
"but if I don't believe that he is somewhere at least with me in some way hiding and his goodness and his love and mercy are operating behind the scenes where I can't see them um then it's kind of an anemic Faith it's kind of too thin to really stand up to you know what actually happens in the world and so I think that there's a lot of power in that and in who God is" [00:08:16]
"the story of Herod and the genocide and killing of uh baby boys two years old and under and this maybe think sometimes uh how would the families that lost a child have felt about Mary and Joseph and the story of Jesus and when Jesus was 30 and those moms were to hear about him what would that evoke in them and that that story is part of what made it into scripture" [00:09:23]
"there's a kind of Integrity to uh that Rachel refusing to be comforted no don't give me a reason don't explain it don't tell me it's okay don't tell me God had a i will not receive that Comfort I will protest and lament on my lost children and somehow that lament and that protest and that howl of pain makes it into the story of Christmas too" [00:11:18]
"if at some point he doesn't encounter a faith in a God who is good and real and present in spite of these kind of things um he will never have a real Faith you know he will grow up um and feel like the Christianity that he knew was um did not meet the very real needs and realities of the world in which he lived and so um that's a big part of you know the death of a child" [00:12:47]
"there is something very powerful about saying if God is in that and in Rachel's tears and you know somehow with Moses and in all of these things then then God Is With Us in all of the other you know hardships and losses as well I was talking this last week in therapy um which by the way you still haven't paid for I can send you a bill no I cost the need for but I haven't paid for it yet" [00:13:28]
"it's very Barren landscape and then the knock the the Jesus in this painting um doesn't have his hand even like this to it's just kind of like this like it you know it would be like a very gentle and soft noise and I feel like just thinking of that in line with the hiddenness of God it's like to be alive on the earth to see you know through a glass dimly is to just be in this room where we have the handle on one side" [00:15:23]
"it's a wonderful exercise to just think through characters in The Bible or maybe uh even in the Christmas Story and the holy family and um think about actors or or folks that don't fit the herbal te yeah yes all this category you know tattooed whatever uh just to get them into the real people category and so youall might do that today everybody watching this just think about a few unlikely suspects and put them in the story" [00:21:17]
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