Besides feeling deep sorrow and grief at seeing a loved one dying a tortuous death, they must have been filled with profound confusion. They must have been asking, "How can this be happening? What about the promises about the kingdom? Where did we go wrong?"
They were so certain that Jesus was the Messiah. They trusted him. They dedicated their lives to him. But in that moment, their Messiah had been defeated. It looked as if it was all over.
When Jesus was on the cross, the crowds saw defeat. They saw weakness. They saw pain. They saw ugliness. It looked as if the oppressors won again.
Do you ever feel defeated? Maybe there are circumstances that challenge your perception of God. Maybe you see only pain or weakness. You look in the mirror and see ugliness. Maybe "things" just don't seem to be working out. You ask questions like, "How can this be happening? What about God's promises? Where is God in all of this?"
Through the cross, God personally entered into our personal experience. He was identifying with the pain and heartache that comes from living in this fallen world. He chose to identify with the weak and the oppressed. Through the cross, Jesus not only suffered for us but suffers with us.
John Stott writes, "I could never myself believe in God if it were not for the Cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?
Take heart. Even when things are at their darkest, remember, God has not changed. He is faithful. Even though it may look as if everything is falling apart and hope seems to be vanishing away. God has not changed. He is faithful.
He never promised a life without of pain or disappointment. As a matter of fact, he told us to count on it. But he did promise that he would never leave us alone. He will give strength. He will continue to be faithful even when things get a little confusing.
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