The Error of Appearances

“My God, my God, why have you deserted me?” (Matthew 27: 47)

On Good Friday, Christ gave up himself freely to die on the cross for us. In the above scripture, he uses Psalm 22 to pray. Many of the bystanders looking at him believed him deserted by God. But that is the illusion. That is the evidence of the senses, the error of appearances.

Jesus prepared adequately in the Garden of Gethsemane for this ordeal. He left the garden assured that God was on his side.

We learn from this to prepare for our own hour of ordeal through constant prayer. Prayer helps us not to doubt God’s constant protection by looking at appearances. God is always there protecting us moment by moment.

Like Job, we too can understand the meaning of suffering through faith. For the carnal man, suffering is disaster, pure catastrophe. But for the faithful, the cross is the route to supreme victory. God is always a good God.