Pastor Wilna Pierre, a Chaplain on our team in Haiti, has written a series of short devotions to encourage those who support our ministry. Today’s devotion is about Jesus questioning God in the midst of his suffering on the cross.
Devotions were translated by Denise Dent.
“Bondye, Bondye, poukisa ou lagem konsa?”
Zanmim yo nan leson jodia ankò nou jwenn okazyon poun rankontre ansanm nan etid pawòl Bondye. Avan nou priye, nou pral li nan Matye 27:46-47 ki pale sou katriyèm pawòl Bondye de lakwa.
“Vè twazè, Jezi rele byen fò, li di: Eli, Eli lema sabaktani? (ki vle di: Bondye, Bondye, poukisa ou lage m’ konsa?). Nan moun ki te la yo genyen ki tande l’ pale. Yo di: Men l’ap rele Eli.”
Katriyèm pawòl Bondye Jezi sou lakwa: “Bondye, Bondye, poukisa ou lagem konsa?”
Twa premye pawòl Jezi sou lakwa te konsène sitou lèzòm men katriyèm pawòl la konsène li menm menm. Yo te krisifye Jezi nan maten. Apre li te fin pase 3èdtan ap bat solèy, sibitman, yon fenwa byen prè blayi sou tout peyi a soti midi po rive 3è apre midi. Fenwa sa pat yon eklips solèy paske fèt Pak te toujou fete nan lalin klè sa vle di lalin klè nèt.Ki donk gwo fenwa sa a te rive pa pisans Bondye.
Vè 3è nan apre midi a, Jezi rele byen fo: “Eli, Eli, lema sabaktani”. (Ki vle di Bondye, Bondye poukisa ou lagem konsa?) Se te premye e denyè fwa Jezi poze yon kesyon konsa. Kesyon sa a moutre kijan li te nan yon doulè atwòs. Apre 6èdtan nan solitud ak nan soufrans, Jezi te mande Bondye, papa li, poukisa li abandonel. Bondye te oblije aji konsa paske akoz sentete li, li pa ka tolere peche nan prezans li paske Jezi te kouvri ak peche lèzòm paran. Zanmi li yo te abandonel men li pat mande pouki me lè Bondye bal do, li mande poukisa.
“God, God, why have you forsaken me?”
Friends, in this lesson we have the opportunity again to meet together in the study of God’s word. Before we pray, we will read in Matthew 27: 46-47 which speaks of the fourth word at the cross.
“At the third hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani? (which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?). Some of those who were there heard him speak. And they said, “Behold, he calleth Eli.”
The fourth words of Jesus on the cross: “God, God, why have you forsaken me?”
Jesus’ first three words on the cross were primarily about others, but the fourth is about himself. Jesus was crucified in the morning. After spending 3 hours in the sun, suddenly a dark cloud spread across the country from noon to 3 p.m. This darkness was not a solar eclipse because the feast of Easter was always celebrated on the clear moon, which means the moon was completely clear. So this great darkness came by the power of God.
At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Jesus cried out, “Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?” This was the first and last time Jesus asked such a question. This question shows us how he was in excruciating pain. After 6 hours of loneliness and suffering, Jesus asked God, his father, why he had forsaken him. God had to do this because of his holiness; he could not tolerate sin in his presence because Jesus was covered by the sins of men. His friends abandoned him but he did not ask them why; but he did ask God.
Think, reflect, make a decision if necessary.
