A few years ago, during one of my phone conversations with my parents, shortly after they returned home to Maryland, I learned that their toy poodle, Muffin, was lying nearby, so I requested my father to put me on the speaker phone. Sensing the audible changes in our voices, I asked with an exaggerated tone, “Where’s my Muffin?” Laughing at her behavior, my father explained that Muffin was wagging her tail excitedly and glancing throughout the room, recognizing the call and seeking me.

There are many times when we as God’s children act like Muffin did in those moments. We may hear and recognize the Lord’s voice speaking to us, but we do not sense in His presence. We search all around for Him but are unable to find Him anywhere. It is, during these periods in life, that all we can do is trust in His presence spiritually and know that He is in control, even if we don’t see Him actively working in our lives.

Let us pray:

Lord, in the times when we can only hear Your voice but do not see You actively involved around us, let us remember the words of the prophet Jeremiah, taken from chapter 17 of his book, verses 7 and 8: “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

In Your name we pray,

Amen