Day 39 of Lent, Psalm 45:

 “It is finished.”  Jesus breathes His last breath. The earth mourns and groans with a quake and the splitting of stones. The curtain tears in two. Now it is finished. Now, is silent.

With a gasp and a pregnant pause, every whisper can be heard. The silence is deafening, and all hope is fleeing. Where did He go? Why did He not resist? It seems, as if, His plan was hi-jacked or thwarted. The religious were victorious. Now what?  

Psalm 45 says,

Your throne, O God, is forever.

This does not seem like a forever throne. All is over. Silence.

Silence is agonizing. For things hidden, now are uncovered: lingering questions and doubts, unfulfilled longings and expectations. Will there be victory or hope again?

Silence is always difficult, so difficult, when we must wait for the unknown: the results of a test, the news from a loved one, or an inevitable bad report.  Silence kills promise and leaves an emptiness. Does God care? Does He know? How can this be? Silence.

The earth knew and waited. I imagine heaven bowed, while holding its breath, and waiting silently. The earth stood still, its silence as the Eulogy– silence, the only fitting thing to whisper. Did the birds cease to sing or the waves halt their pounding? Did the breeze subside or the planets stand still? Was the silence unbearable? Where is our King? Silence.

The King of Kings, and the Lord of Lord, is nailed to a tree? Everything is mixed-up and absurd. It is not suppose to turn out this way! The One, who is perfect, punished and killed? Wait! …. That should have been me! Silence.

My spiritual death to heal, my sin and my guilt to cover– for this He died. It should have been me. His love kept him still– His love for His Father and His love for me. Silence.

Yes, this is part of the promise from long ago. He is forever, the everlasting God. His promises of old He will fulfill. Because He is eternal, everlasting, Holy God– His plan will stand, forever. Silence…

And now, we wait. It is finished.

God is forever, our everlasting God. His plan will stand.