The Storm Before the Calm

“Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

John 19:28-30

This is quite possibly the lowest point in all of the New Testament, if not the whole Bible. It certainly looks like it, at any rate. These were Jesus’ final words, His last breath that He took while hanging on a tree like a common criminal. This was the Savior everyone had been waiting for. This was the One everything had been leading up to. And He was dead. 

It seemed that things couldn’t get any worse, and the truth is, they didn’t. Things didn’t necessarily get better right away, either, though. At least not for the believers. Jesus’ body was taken down and preserved, and He was sealed away in a tomb for three days. That was when the light began to shine through. Many of us know the story; Jesus didn’t stay in the tomb. He didn’t remain dead. Our Savior rose from the grave to new life, not only atoning for our sin through His death, but defeating death itself in His resurrection. This is the entire foundation of the Christian faith, and yet it wouldn’t have been possible without the cross. Without the blood and scorn, and the utter injustice and hopelessness that was felt that day, we’d never experience the miraculous life that we see today. Often, this is how God works. The lowest lows lead to the highest highs. He uses sinful people and painful circumstances to bring His people to exactly where He wants them to be, and we can be sure that, “. . . In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

We go through scary and painful things every day. These issues aren’t as dramatic or world-changing as Christ’s death, but they often follow the same pattern on a much smaller scale. Whenever you’re tempted to feel discouraged or hopeless, just remember the cross. God always has a plan. Sometimes it hurts to get there, but the end result will always be worth it.

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