Sanctuary - Moments In His presenceSample

He… emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.’ (Philippians 2 v 7) 

Somewhere in this short study of God bringing life and transformation through adversity we surely need to give thought to the most profound moment ever, outside of a city wall. ‘You nailed (Him) to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death,’ said Peter in his first sermon (Acts 2 v 23). It was a day when God could have intervened to prevent the Holy Son from glory being nailed to a tree; but He didn’t. God stayed His hand. He allowed the adversity to happen and thus it was that God transformed this moment of utter darkness, cruelty and depravity into the sin-destroying, earth-shattering, tomb-busting, sun-eclipsing, glorious moment of all history. When we are inclined to think our Father might not understand how difficult we find adversity, or how obscure the outcome apparently might be, I would say to you, ‘Trust Him.’ Father knows.

‘…Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Hebrews 12 vs 1 and 2).

The unique perfection of intimacy between Father and Son that had been sustained through all eternity and into Jesus’ earthly life was lost in that moment when He hung there with the foul, suppurating weight of all human sin upon Him. Not His sin; ours. God turned His face away. 

‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ He cried out during the agony of the darkness of the crucifixion (Mark 15 v 34).

‘God, surely You wouldn’t do that, would You?’ we cry.

Yes, for sure, God understands our adversity and He is also the One who can transform it. Trust Him.