The 9th Hour Experience..

In our lives most, if not all of us, have had or will have a painful experience.

Jesus himself had such an experience:

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Matthew 27.46 NKJV

“why God?” and “where are you God”

That is the desperate cry of our hearts at such times.

Life has taken an unexpected turn and we don’t understand why. It is confusing and painful.

It could be the loss of a loved one, a broken marriage, an illness, financial problems, a serious emotional hurt.

Whatever has happened, we can identify with that desperate cry…Why God? “Where are you”.

It’s incredibly tough.

Holding on to faith and hope that, notwithstanding our feelings or current circumstances, the truth is that God is there for us and we are not abandoned.

The morning will come again.

How do we prepare ourselves and strengthen ourselves in God for such a 9th hour experience.

Before the Cross, Jesus had already had the agony of the Garden of Gethsemane – is this how he was able to prepare and endure the 9th hour and see the victory of the Cross.

Jesus had surrendered everything to God in the garden. He agonised but prayed “Not My will but Yours be done”.

Love and obedience to God in action.

We can endure and hold on in such times, help and encourage each other through such times, not pretending it doesn’t hurt, not pretending we understand, but trusting in the unfailing love and promises of God. Knowing God loves us.

Knowing that all things can, even though we can’t see it yet, work together for good through God.

It might be the 9th hour now but your Sunday is coming.

This faith in God will take us through the fire and not out of it.

Let us not give up our faith but persevere.

Look up my friends. Sunday and victory is coming.

If you are in a 9th hour experience today then I pray that God strengthens you, upholds you and encourages you in your faith. That you will know you are not alone. Please hold on and don’t give up.

Bless you my friends.