When God is Silent

These words were discovered on a wall in the German concentration camp, “I believe in the sun even when it’s not shining.  I believe in love even when I can’t feel it.  I believe in God even when God is silent.”

We have journeyed through six weeks of Lent.  Six weeks of remembering what it must have been like for Jesus, God’s son, to know he would die for the sins of all mankind.  At our church, we have been preaching Jesus’ seven last words (really phrases.)  In these phrases, we have looked for what lessons Jesus’ words teach.  He teaches we are to forgive, accept the grace that God offers, take care of our family – neighbors – church family, pray even when we feel forsaken, reach for Jesus and his love so we will thirst no more, know that through Jesus’ death he saved us and commit our souls to God each day – put our lives in his hands.

This is the crux of our faith.  This is where the rubber meets the road.  Jesus was born, lived and died for us – so that our sins would be forgiven and we would live eternally with God.  It’s a little overwhelming to think about.  How God loved us so much that he sacrificed his son in order to save us.  It’s also overwhelming to think about all the lessons Jesus taught us while he was walking on this earth.  He taught of love, forgiveness, sharing and caring.  It’s nice to think about that Jesus and the “teeny, tiny, baby, Jesus”, but what about the cross?  What about all that Jesus taught then?  What does that mean for us now?

As parents or those wanting to be, Jesus’ death is excruciating.  #1 – how does a parent sacrifice his child for others?  I suppose military parents deal with this question more than we would like to admit.  #2 – how does Jesus cry out to his parent while he’s dying and hear nothing?  Many times we cry out to God in the midst of fertility issues, heartbreaking miscarriages or stillborn births, sicknesses of our infants, struggles with our children, struggles with finances, marital relationships, work, etc, etc, etc.  We cry out or maybe we don’t cry out, because we think no one’s listening or no one cares.

Jesus cried out and prayed the Psalms.  He prayed Psalm 22 and Psalm 31.           Psalm 22 says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?  O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest. YET you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.  In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted and you delivered them.  To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.” 

Psalm 31 says, “In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in our righteousness deliver me.  Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.  You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me, take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.  Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.”

We can cry out too.  We can pray even when God is silent!  We can seek God’s refuge in the time of terrible storm.  Through Jesus’ unspeakable pain and death, he calls out and so can we through our grief. 

Remember, there is resurrection.  After Good Friday – the pain and the death, there is indeed resurrection.  The resurrection and new life may not be exactly what you prayed for, BUT there will be a resurrection and new life in yours. 

Lauren Boyd
Director of Programming and Membership at PHUMC
Partner to Candi and Mother to Miller who is 5