p. 10 | G. B. THOMPSON by G. B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Jan 21, 1904

G. B. THOMPSON

By G. B. Thompson

Forsaken

G. B. THOMPSON

DID you ever feel in an hour of trial as though you were forsaken of God? When darkness has shut in your soul, and, as in Paul’s experience when tossed on the raging billows of the Mediterranean Sea, “neither sun nor stars in many days appeared,” did you ever feel as though God was a long distance away? When disappointment or sorrow has cast a gloomy shadow over your soul, has the enemy suggested that the Saviour had left you, forsaken you, abandoned you to his power. Well, weary soul, remember that Jesus has felt the same, and knows how to help you. When on the cross, crushed beneath the sins of the world, bearing the grief and sorrow of ruined souls, mocked by those whom he came to save, forsaken by his own disciples, he felt as you and I have felt. It seemed to him as if his Father had left him, and from his distressed and anguished soul was wrung the agonizing cry, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” His pitying, suffering soul felt as we have felt. He had taken our place, and was suffering in our stead.

But was he forsaken?—No, indeed. “In that thick darkness God’s presence was hidden. He makes darkness his pavilion, and conceals his glory from human eyes. God and his holy angels were beside the cross. The Father was with his Son. Yet his presence was not revealed. Had his glory flashed forth from the cloud, every human beholder would have been destroyed. And in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father’s presence. He trod the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with him.”—“Desire of Ages,” page 753.

There is encouragement for us in this. When almost in despair, hanging helpless on the cross, feeling forsaken of all, he is even then near us. As the Father and angels stood by the side of the cross while Jesus was hanging upon it, feeling forsaken even of his Father, so Jesus and holy angels are by our side to help and cheer us. Let us take courage then.

But you say, It seems so dark at times. Yes, I know. Yet the rainbow of promise is in the cloud. In “Testimonies for the Church,” No. 31, page 211, we read: “The darkness which will then [if we have faith] rest upon our pathway must not discourage or drive us to despair. It is the veil with which God covers his glory when he comes to impart rich blessings.”

How many, many times when the way seemed dark, and circumstances beyond our control have cast a gloom over the soul, we have murmured and complained, tempted to think that we were forsaken even by our Lord, little realizing that, wrapped in the thick darkness, he had come especially near to us to impart a rich blessing. Jesus has promised never to leave us. Heb. 13: 5.