my God, why have you forsaken me?!! "
...
the passionate cry of a suffering saviour
to the passionate heart of a suffering Godfather ...
the suffering loss of contact
Jesus experiences here
in the midst of his suffering for humanity
draws a longing
for closeness
intimacy recovered
selah ..~
why is it
we seem to want God
more passionately
when we suffer ...
strange
isn't it
why is it
when we're ok
when things are running right
when the bills are paid
the family's healthy
we feel secure and safe ...
we seem to be
wanting God
less
needing God
less
passionate about God
less ...
selah ..~
maybe i'm off
and alone
in this thinking ...
methinks not
God told Israel
warned them
when they got into the land
he promised them
and they settled
in peace
blessed with crops
and herds
and homes ...
they would be wont
to forget him
forget him
the very one
that brought you out of egypt
the land of slavery
a thought repeated
repeatedly
in the mouths of their prophets
how is that possible
430 years of suffering
in slavery
crying out to their God
for release
40 years of protection
and provision
in the wilderness
against all odds
how could they forget
how ...
selah ..~
i forget
we
forget
and then
tragedy
or failure
or loss
or illness
or uproot
...
or
sometimes
it's like everything
comes tumbling down
at the same time
and
all of a sudden
we remember
we
remember
who
God is ...
to me
selah ..~
seems
it's human nature
to forget
God ...
even after
we experience
his goodness
to
me
it's out of his goodness
we forget
his goodness
strange that ...
could it be
somehow
deceives me
into thinking
it was
me
that got me there
me
that provided
me
that delivered
...
me
independence
don'tneedanyone
i
can do this
maybe
when i'm cool and copacetic
i
look bigger
to me
able
stronger
more powerful...
i got this
..............
and then
my world caves
my life changes
my health undoes
my relationship breaks
my career fails
...
and i fall
i cry out
out of my misery
to the only one
i know
has the power
to undo the undone
to rescue me
to make it allright
...
maybe not restore
what's lost
maybe not redeem
what's taken
maybe not refund
my retirement
maybe not refinance
my house
...
maybe not
but
maybe
i get release
from the hold
those things have
on me
and find
again
the comfort
of the Comforter
the fullfillment
of him who made peace
the strength
of the Creator
the presence
of the one
who brought me out of darkness
into light
the one
who released my soul
from the bondage of
sin and death
gave me liberty
at his expense
even the cost of his very life
...
selah ..~
it seems
suffering can serve
to bring me closer
to my God .. ... . . ... . ... .
question ...
does it ?
shalom
Life's ups and downs ebb like the tide. I would hope that when things go south, believers would cling to Him; but, many don't. They do as you suggest, questioning Him and whether He is there. We have to come back, tail between our legs, though. We must keep in mind that while He does not promise us an easy life, He does promise never to leave us. We have to cling to that against our human nature of rebellion. We must, like the prodigal son, come home.
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