12/21/2019
Are you just beginning your search for God? Maybe you are already somewhere along the way? Well, whether you are just beginning, or in the midst of your pilgrimage, there will be dark nights of the soul. These are times when You will collapse in the silence of God, and ask in loud voice “why have you forsaken me?” but rest assured that you are not alone, and He will never abandon you.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.”
Psalms 22:1-2 ESV
In the late 1500s, St. John of the Cross wrote a poem titled “The Dark Night of the Soul”, and it has been continuously studied by faithful scholars ever since that time. It was written in Spanish, and is considered one of the pinnacles of Spanish writing, but what truly made it famous was its subject matter... a saint’s journey of darkness during their quest towards God. Wikipedia had this to say about this poem...
“St. John of the Cross’ poem narrates the journey of the soul from its bodily home to its union with God. The journey is called “The Dark Night,” darkness representing the hardships and difficulties the soul meets in detachment from the world and reaching the light of the Union with the creator.” - Wikipedia
All believers begin their journey in the darkness of the world. We have no choice because we all sin...
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”
Romans 5:12 ESV
Jesus on the other hand was blameless and without sin...
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Hebrews 4:15 ESV
Yet if He was sinless, then how could He encourage me, a sinner? So He was made by God to take on our sin...
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
In this way Jesus experienced the dark night just as each of us do, and uttered “why have you forsaken me” with the same intensity of emotion, and understanding, that we do. This brings us hope, and should thrill our souls as we realize that he took on our sin, and defeated it. He is the light that entered into our dark night, and leads us out of it... making us righteous.
So today I want to share a poem I wrote regarding this night we must traverse as we seek God, and I hope that you will find reassurance, and a blessing in it...
Journey Through Night
By Rich Forbes
Where are we on our journey towards God?
Where in Christ do we find ourselves seeking?
Where do our eyes see lost spirits peeking?
Where in our faith have our soul’s feet been shod?
Then in travels through the dark of night
Then from blind questions, the answers arise
Then king of kings lights up morning skies
Then we walk on towards suffering saint’s sighs
There in the dawn we find Him awaiting
There in the garden of blood and tears
There as our quest is baste in our fears
There in His presence the grace of God nears
High on a hill our cross stands glowing
High above heads looking up in unknowing
High over souls where we were once going
High over the garden of love’s hopeful sowing
Now in His embrace our journey ends
Now hardship forgotten, left to the night
Now glory and grace cast in loving light
Now by God’s pleasure our sin is set right
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who leads us through the dark night of our faith, and brings us into your eternal light. Thank you for his sacrifice, and for making Him to be sin so that we might be saved. I thank you Lord for His groaning from the cross, His death, and His resurrection. In these things I find hope, and know that He became as I am, and awaits me in the dark night to guide me through it... bringing me transformed, and righteous, to you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who loves me, and sent your only begotten Son to rescue me from the darkness I was born into. Praised be your name for the mercy and goodness you ladled out upon the world. Great is your light that shines upon me, and great are you who gave me eyes with which to see it, and a tongue with which to taste your saltiness. All glory is yours Merciful Father for the grace that flows through Jesus, and washes over me. Hear my prayers, and witness my worship, as I long to stand in your presence forever, and have you rescue me eternally from the “day of clouds, and thick darkness.”
“"For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.”
Ezekiel 34:11-12 ESV
Rich Forbes