Have you ever noticed how often the bad guys seem to come out on top? How many faithful partners are left to raise their kids and pay the bills while the unfaithful ones enjoy new cars, homes, and vacations with hot new partners? Or how often does the responsible spouse have to share the custody of her child and pay child support to her ex-spouse who refuses to keep a job?
We’ve all witnessed—and experienced—times of injustice when God seems absent. If God is good and sovereign, how could these things happen?
We’ve all witnessed—and experienced—times of #injustice when God seems absent. If God is good and sovereign, how could these things happen? #RechargeWednesday Click To TweetChrist’s last hours on the cross remind me that we can’t judge by what we see. Imagine being one of Jesus’ followers and witnessing His last hours (Mark 14:53-15:37). What would you think watching Jesus suffer through false accusations, illegal trials, floggings, beatings, being spat upon, mocked, taunted, heaped with insults, and finally being nailed to a cross?
The taunting included feigned expressions of a desire to believe. “If He’d only come down from the cross.”
“He saved others but can’t save Himself!”
Imagine being Jesus’ mother and hearing Him cry out loudly, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
What must His followers have been thinking? How could this happen to Jesus? How would things appear to you, or to your enemies?
Jesus’ own words seem to indicate defeat and confusion. Bystanders must have concluded, “Poor fool—He really thought God would rescue Him.”
From all appearances, it looked as if God had abandoned Jesus. This, after all, is the Father’s one and only Son. If God wouldn’t save Jesus, how can I trust Him with my life?
Appearances screamed, “It’s foolish to trust God. Those who do are left hanging.”
But those conclusions would be dead wrong. The biblical narrative continues, “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Mark 15:38 NIV). What appeared to be God abandoning humankind, was, in fact, God opening heaven to us.
The temple curtain separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies. Only the high priest could enter the most holy place, and then only once a year. Sinful humans could not come into God’s presence and live.
Jesus’ body was broken to pay the penalty for our sin and open the way for us to enter the very presence of God. God Himself tore the curtain from top to bottom. What, from all appearances, seemed to be the worst moment in history, was in fact the highest, holiest, and best.
What looked like the Father abandoning His Son was actually God “in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Cor. 5:19 NLT). God was not absent. He was working out the perfect plan He’d set in motion before creation to secure your and my future and hope.
There are times in every life when trusting God appears foolish, and it looks like God has left us. Don’t you believe it! Remember God’s story’s not over. The cross reminds us—things aren’t always what they seem.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18 NIV).
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LINKUP is open. Today, my friend @debbieWWilson reminds us that God is working even if we don't feel it, even if it seems like He's abandoned us. Join us & share your blog! Click To Tweet
Those unseen realities are the very thing to carry us through hard times, and in the current backdrop of chaos, we especially need reminders like this that there is a Divine purpose at work in everything .
Michele, with all that is going on in our world, I remind myself, God is still on the throne.
As crazy as my circumstances are right now, I cling to this: “What looked like the Father abandoning His Son was actually God “in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Cor. 5:19 NLT). God was not absent. He was working out the perfect plan He’d set in motion before creation to secure your and my future and hope.” He’s working out the perfect plan in my situation.
Yvonne, yes He is. May we all personalize His promises.
So many times in history, it looks like God’s side is not winning. But He is working out so many things behind the scenes. Reminding ourselves of His hand in history, in Jesus’ death and resurrection, in our salvation, help us to trust Him when we can’t see how things are going to work out, when things don’t make sense to us.
Barbara, remembering how He has worked in the past and His promises are anchors in these trying times.
This: “What looked like the Father abandoning His Son was actually God ‘in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself’ (2 Cor. 5:19 NLT). God was not absent. He was working out the perfect plan.”
Debbie, it surely looked bleak for the followers and family of Jesus that day on Calvary. We must also remember God is working behind the scenes on our behalf.
Karen, I’m so thankful we live on this side of the cross and have that firm assurance. But, as you said, I need to recall it, especially when evil seems to reign.
Today’s encouraging blog reminds me of a stanza from the old hymn, Once to Every Man and Nation:
“Tho’ the cause of evil prosper,
Yet the truth alone is strong;
Tho’ her portion be the scaffold,
And upon the throne be wrong:
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
Keeping watch above His own.”
GE, I’d forgotten about that lovely hymn. Thank you for reminding me. I felt my heart swell just reading it.
Loved it! We definitely need to remember, “The cross reminds us—things aren’t always what they seem.” God is working on our behalf. He will never let us down!
Amen! Thank you, Jerralea!
This is such a beautiful reminder! I immediately thought of the paradox of evil, which I stumbled on in a philosophical experiment. It is easy to think then that God has abandoned us, but what looks like that, isn’t.
Astrid, may the Lord help us keep our eyes on the eternal unseen!
Following Jesus’ example in this is a strategy I have never thought of before. Thank you.
Thank you, Lauren!