ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI

• DAY 110
• FAITH FILES: THE COURAGE OF JESUS
• SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 27:45-46

“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”” ‬‬

matthew 27:45-46 NKJV

I am convinced that we all get to this point in our walk of faith; when it feels like darkness is possibly all we can see along the path of faith. Things are not going the way that we pictured it from the beginning. And right in the middle, we probably have encountered some losses, hurt in deep places, betrayal from others. Doing what we know to do, we call out to God. Guess what? It seems like the more we call, the more silence we hear from the some Person that ought to be there for us at all times; and for some reason God’s not answering.

Wow! God really?

And we’re wondering, where are you, God? Why have you abandoned us at such a time of need? In such moments our hearts become heavy, we feel alone in the darkness.

This is the most painful season for every believer. I mean, if God had decided to be silent when everything was peachy, and rosy, that would’ve been OK. Rather He chose the worst moment to go silent. How could He see that you were on the cross and not come to rescue you? How could He leave you in the depths of pain instead of running to you like the father of the prodigal son? How could He say nothing about the death of your loved one? How could He say and do nothing about the abuse of your spouse? How could He do nothing about the truancy of your child? How could He see you in darkness and be silent?

Alone In The Dark

Dear precious one, Jesus felt this way too. He was on the cross bleeding, mocked, despised, with thorns in His head and nails in His hands, and feet, with two criminals on each side, and darkness all around. If there was ever a time for the heavens to open again and say “this is my son in whom I am well pleased” it would be now. Yet, God turned His back to Jesus.

But God, how could You send me on an assignment, then turn your back on me and leave me alone in darkness and pain? We are supposed to be in this together; we’re supposed to be walking side-by-side in the valley of the shadow of death, yet here I am, by myself, in darkness. Here I am going through miscarriages alone? Here I am going through this divorce alone? Here I am burying this child alone? Here I am fighting for my marriage alone? Here I am alone? And the only phrase left in you is: Eli, Eli lama sabachthani!

We see through the study of scripture that God could not look upon Jesus because He had carried upon himself the sins of the world, and the Holy One cannot see evil. He cannot behold sin with His eyes. So He looked away from the sin, but not from The Son. For, had He not looked away from His Son He would not have raised Him. He looked away, just like any father would when he sees his child hurting, knowing that hurting is the only way for the child to learn and to mature. Just like dying was the the only way by justice for Jesus to save you and to be glorified.

Silent For Comfort

Beloved, sometimes God is silent because it is the only way for you to learn to trust Him. He cannot raise you to have a transactional love for Him. A relationship that is dependent on Him only on rosy and sunny days. He knows you’re going to need some tough skin to war and wrestle against the things that are in this world wrestling against you. He knows that you’re going to need to acquire some comfort so that through the comfort you have received you will comfort another person when they get to the same place you are right now.

Just like I am comforting you, I have seen pain and felt abandoned, maybe not as much as some of other people, but I can tell you from my pain that God is a God of all comfort. Had I not gone through what I went through I would not be able to say this with absolute certainty, and be a testament of courage, a testimony of encouragement, confidence and hope to you. So that you can look onto Jesus, your hope and endure the cross. I bring you courage and encouragement so that you would enter into the joy and the rest that He has prepared for you.

Emmanuel

Just so you know, God has not forsaken you. The Holy Spirit is with you in every single thing you go through. He may be silent, but He has not turned his back on you. And now you have Jesus who knows what it feels like to have a Father silent in tough days, interceding for you consistently at the right hand of God, so how can you be alone? How can you be forsaken when He clearly states that He’s with you always even until the end of time.

God is with you, God is for you, God cannot abandon you. That is Emmanuel’s promise. Do not be afraid, do not listen to the lies of the enemy. Eli has not forsaken you. So rest in the confidence of His abiding presence, and go into the dark seasons of your life, knowing that you have company.

Shalom