MARCH 3
Psalm 44:23-24, “Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?”
The psalmist, after recalling times past when God led his people to victories, lamented the fact that God had abandoned them. Defeated and disgraced, he pleaded with God: Why are you sleeping? Why are you hiding? Why have you forgotten us? The psalmist’s questions are not that uncommon. We tend to wonder about such things when things don’t go as expected or especially if we are met with some sort of tragedy.
Jerry Sittser and his family were returning home from a visit to an Indian reservation. It was dark. “Ten minutes into our trip home,” Jerry said, “I noticed an oncoming car on a lonely stretch of highway driving extremely fast. I slowed down at a curve, but the other car did not. It jumped its lane and smashed head-on into our minivan. In an instant, a tragic accident claimed three generations of my family: my mother, my wife, and my young daughter.” In Jerry Sittser’s book, A Grace Disguised, he describes his painful journey through grief and questions regarding where God was in his tragedy.
For a long time, the memory of the traumatic accident deeply haunted and tormented Jerry, replaying in his mind both awake and asleep. One sleepless night, he saw the accident in a different light, standing with his children near the accident site, witnessing the collision again. This time, a divine light illuminated the scene, revealing not only the destruction but also God’s presence, offering comfort and peace. While the waking dream didn’t provide answers to why the accident occurred, it brought a sense of peace, knowing God was there to welcome his loved ones home and guide the survivors toward healing.
At the heart of Jerry’s reassurance were the unchanging realities of the nature of God and his promises. God is good. He does good (Psalm 119:68). Even when things go “bad,” God causes them to work together for good (Romans 8:28). He is with us and has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, and that promise holds true no matter what!
We may not know the answer to the question why, but we can trust the One who knows.
Application Questions: Have you ever asked God “why” regarding something that happened in your life? Why is it important amid such circumstances to keep one’s focus on the good nature and faithful promises of God?
LookingtoJesus 