– Today’s Community Scripture – 7/31/2025

Why Does God Stay Hidden and Silent? “Please, God, I have two requests; grant them so I’ll know I count with you: First, lay off the afflictions; the terror is too much for me. Second, address me directly so I can answer you, or let me speak, and then you answer me. How many sins have been charged against me? Show me the list—how bad is it? Why do you stay hidden and silent? Why treat me like I’m your enemy? Why kick me around like an old tin can? Why beat a dead horse? You compile a long list of mean things about me, even hold me accountable for the sins of my youth. You hobble me so I can’t move about. You watch every move I make and brand me as a dangerous character. “Like something rotten, human life fast decomposes, like a moth-eaten shirt or a mildewed blouse.”

                                Job 13:20–28 (MSG)

– Reflection:

  Why Does GOD Stay Hidden and Silent?

In Job’s cry, I hear the raw honesty of a man who knows God is absolute but can’t reconcile that truth with His silence. It’s not that Job doubts God’s existence—it’s that he’s desperate for acknowledgment, for clarity, for a response. I relate to that. Sometimes it feels like God hides not because He’s absent, but because He’s allowing the weight of silence to shape something more profound in us. Job isn’t asking for miracles—he’s asking for a conversation, a chance to understand why he’s being treated like an enemy when all he wants is to be seen as a son. That hits home. The hiddenness of God in this passage isn’t about abandonment; it’s about the mystery of divine purpose. Still, it’s hard not to feel like a “moth-eaten shirt” when the silence stretches on. But maybe, just maybe, God’s silence is the space where our faith is refined.

– Where do we go from here?

I believe the answer is not to run from silence but to learn how to sit in it. Job wasn’t wrong for asking questions; he was genuine, and God can handle authenticity. Perhaps the silence of God isn’t punishment but preparation. Maybe it’s not about our wrongdoings but about what God is doing behind the scenes. The silence doesn’t mean we’re forgotten; it could simply mean we’re being shaped. Even when we feel like that “moth-eaten shirt,” we still breathe, which means there’s still purpose in our pain. We keep showing up, keep praying, and keep trusting that God’s silence isn’t His absence.

– Our Prayer for Today

Father, before we step into the noise of today, we want to pause and acknowledge You. We don’t have all the answers, and some things still don’t make sense but we trust that You’re still working, even in the silence. Give us strength for what we can see and faith for what we can’t. Help us walk with integrity, speak with grace, and lead with love. Keep our hearts steady, my mind clear, and our spirits anchored in You. Let today be a day where we don’t just get through it but grow through it. In Jesus’ name, amen.

– Today’s Community Scripture – 7/30/2025

“Yes, I’ve seen all this with my own eyes, heard and understood it with my very own ears. Everything you know, I know, so I’m not taking a backseat to any of you. I’m taking my case straight to God Almighty; I’ve had it with you—I’m going directly to God. You graffiti my life with lies. You’re a bunch of pompous quacks! I wish you’d shut your mouths— silence is your only claim to wisdom. “Listen now while I make my case, consider my side of things for a change. Or are you going to keep on lying ‘to do God a service’? to make up stories ‘to get him off the hook’? Why do you always take his side? Do you think he needs a lawyer to defend himself? How would you fare if you were in the dock? Your lies might convince a jury—but would they convince God? He’d reprimand you on the spot if he detected a bias in your witness. Doesn’t his splendor put you in awe? Aren’t you afraid to speak cheap lies before him? Your wise sayings are knickknack wisdom, good for nothing but gathering dust. “So hold your tongue while I have my say, then I’ll take whatever I have coming to me. Why do I go out on a limb like this and take my life in my hands? Because even if he killed me, I’d keep on hoping. I’d defend my innocence to the very end. Just wait, this is going to work out for the best—my salvation! If I were guilt-stricken do you think I’d be doing this— laying myself on the line before God? You’d better pay attention to what I’m telling you, listen carefully with both ears. Now that I’ve laid out my defense, I’m sure that I’ll be acquitted. Can anyone prove charges against me? I’ve said my piece. I rest my case.

                              Job 13:1–19 (MSG)

– Reflection:

         I’m Taking My Case To GOD

Job shifts from listening to his friends’ accusations to boldly expressing his understanding of his suffering. He acknowledges that he has heard all their arguments and is not inferior in wisdom or insight. Now, Job challenges the assumption that their words are truly about him. He sees through their flawed reasoning and recognizes that they are speaking from a place of presumption, not truth. Job turns the focus toward God, expressing confidence that if they were in his position, they too would be subject to divine scrutiny. He warns that their attempts to defend God with falsehoods will not go unnoticed. This moment marks a turning point where Job reclaims his voice, asserting that he will speak directly to God and take his case to Him, even if it costs him everything. His courage to confront both his friends and God reveals a deep yearning for justice and truth, not just comfort or explanation.

– Where do we go from here?

We take a hard look at ourselves. When our ego begins to rise—when we believe we have all the answers or feel the need to speak for God—we need to pause. Like Job, we must shift from defending ourselves to seeking God genuinely. That involves humbling ourselves enough to admit we don’t know everything. It also means being quiet long enough to hear what God is actually saying. And it requires being willing to be corrected, even if it stings. Understanding God better starts with surrender, not superiority. If we want to grow, we have to let go of the need to be right and lean into the need to be real—with God and ourselves.

– Our Prayer for Today

Father, if there’s any pride within me, reveal it. If I’ve attempted to speak for You without truly seeking You, forgive me. I don’t want to be puffed up; I want to be poured out. I desire to understand You better, not just know about You. So I surrender my ego, my assumptions, and my need to be right. Teach me how to listen, how to wait, and how to trust You even when answers come slowly. I bring my case before You, God, not because I’m perfect, but because I believe You are. And that’s enough. Amen.

– Today’s Community Scripture – 7/29/2025

“True wisdom and real power belong to God; from him we learn how to live, and also what to live for. If he tears something down, it’s down for good; if he locks people up, they’re locked up for good. If he holds back the rain, there’s a drought; if he lets it loose, there’s a flood. Strength and success belong to God; both deceived and deceiver must answer to him. He strips experts of their vaunted credentials, exposes judges as witless fools. He divests kings of their royal garments, then ties a rag around their waists. He strips priests of their robes, and fires high officials from their jobs. He forces trusted sages to keep silence, deprives elders of their good sense and wisdom. He dumps contempt on famous people, disarms the strong and mighty. He shines a spotlight into caves of darkness, hauls deepest darkness into the noonday sun. He makes nations rise and then fall, builds up some and abandons others. He robs world leaders of their reason, and sends them off into no-man’s-land. They grope in the dark without a clue, lurching and staggering like drunks.”

                             Job 12:13–25 (MSG)

– Reflection:

This passage speaks powerfully to those who believe in the Word of God. It reminds us that He is both everything and nothing—omnipresent, yet unseen by the world. It calls us to live with reverence, to move through life with intention, and to recognize that our actions are always seen by the One who matters most. We are called to help where we can, to walk away from what God has declared hopeless, and to trust His voice above all others. Listening to our Lord and Savior is not weakness, despite what the world may suggest. True strength lies in obedience, in humility, and in surrender. The positions we hold, the wealth we accumulate, and the pride we carry mean little in the eyes of God. These things only matter to those who have placed their worth above the Creator’s. For those of us who follow Christ and believe that Jesus died so we might live again, our mission is clear: honor God and walk the path He has set before us. In doing so, we become vessels of change. The world begins to shift when we stop delaying obedience with “maybe later” and start living with urgency and purpose. Every time we postpone the call, we drift further into darkness. But when we rise in faith, the light begins to break through.

– Where do we go from here?

We move forward with the understanding that God, not man, is the trustworthy source of all wisdom, power, and authority. This passage clearly states: no title, wealth, intellect, or influence can oppose God’s will. Our next step is to stop seeking validation from a world that is blind to the truth and start walking confidently in the purpose God has given us. We must humble ourselves, listen more carefully to His voice, and trust that even when He removes something, it is for our good. When he closes a door, it remains closed for a reason. Our task is not to question His methods but to stay faithful to the mission. We are not called to fix everything; we are called to obey. In obedience, we will find clarity, strength, and direction. While the world may stumble in confusion, we walk in the light of the One who sees all. So we press on not with fear, but with reverence, knowing that God remains in control, and He is not finished with us yet.

– Our prayer for Today

Father, thank You for reminding us that You alone hold the keys to every hour of every day, every season, and every outcome. Lord, help us to walk in obedience, even when the path is unclear. Teach us to trust You more deeply, to listen more intently, and to move only when You say move. Strip away our pride, our distractions, and our need for worldly approval. Fill us instead with courage, discernment, and unwavering faith. May we be vessels of Your light in a dark world, and may our lives reflect Your glory in all we do. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.