Worshiping the Father in Darkness

Matthew and Mark describe the fourth words of Jesus from the cross. Both say that at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34 The people who were standing near the cross heard Jesus but misunderstood Him and thought He was calling upon Elijah. People today still disagree what Jesus meant with these words.

Some will say that Jesus was experiencing the full force and wages of sin; separation from God, something He had never known. Others point out that Jesus was quoting the first line of Psalm 22, which ends with triumphant faith in the promises of God and resurrection. They will say that Jesus was teaching from the cross, giving meaning to what was happening to Him in that moment. Psalm 22 is a clear description of the agony of crucifixion with the last ten verses describing the victory of faithfulness and the triumph of God’s Kingdom over sin and suffering. Both views acknowledge that Jesus was praying in the darkness with the overwhelming feeling of abandonment but with His faith firmly fixed upon the Father.

The Bible states that there was literal darkness for three hours when Jesus made this statement. But the scene was darker than just the absence of sunlight. It was a spiritual darkness that enveloped the land that day, representing the absence of God’s presence in the lives of sinful man. Jesus was taking our place that day with the abandoned cry of hopelessness that every person has felt as a result of sin and separation from God.

You may not have cried out the same words as Jesus, but you have, no doubt, had moments of utter desperation and feelings of loneliness when you cried, “Oh God, where are You?” It may have been expressed with a cry, night after night, with your head on the pillow and with tears leaking out the sides of your eyes, when all you could pray was “Oh God, Oh God, Oh my God…” And Jesus has been there and went there to lead you out of there, just like Psalm 22 describes.

It is hard to imagine that this could be called a worship experience, but it was and it is because in that moment of darkness and desperation, God the Father is being held onto with nothing but a single strand of faith. This may be one of the most brilliant moments of worship when there is nothing but faith in God, shining in all of its glory, the glory of God and the truth of His word. He has promised to be with you always. God will not abandon you. It may be your darkest hour, but He is there with you and will see you through it, just like He did for His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! Cry out to Him in prayer with faith, just like the psalmist did in Psalm 22, just like Jesus did from the cross.

Take time, sometime today, to reread Psalm 22 and remember when you lived there and how God brought you through it, and rejoice. You will be worshiping the Father in spirit and truth.