WHERE IS JESUS WHEN YOU NEED HIM?

Whenever there is some kind of horrible event, we often hear someone ask, "Where was God when that happened?"  Perhaps it is even we ourselves who cry out in disbelief that a merciful, benevolent, loving God could allow such horrible things to transpire.  Born again believers, who voice their disbelief, and that is exactly what it is, soon feel guilty for their response.  They often require Christian counseling to deal with their guilt at questioning God. 

Any born again counselor worth "his or her salt," will remind them that even Jesus experienced the feelings that accompany what He perceived as being abandoned by His Father.  It was at noon, the time when the sun is usually its brightest, that our Lord experienced, for the only time in all of eternity, past or future, the literal darkness of that horrible day, and the ultimate darkness of feeling separated from God by sin (2 Cor. 5:21).  In Matthew 27:46, we read "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"  However, Luke's Gospel tells us that the Lord's expression of feeling deserted was followed by His final words on the cross:  "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost" (Lk. 23:46).  So don't beat yourself up over your momentary disbelief, but do as Jesus did and declare your trust in God.

People tend to have one of  two very opposite reactions on such occasions:  they feel betrayed by God and begin to doubt whatever faith they have, or they begin to pray for those who have suffered what is often an unspeakable and unexplainable tragedy.  It is amazing how often one hears believers praying for victims and for those responsible.  Most mature believers are aware that but for the grace of God, we ourselves could be involved.  I believe that is partly the reason believers pray for the Jeffrey Dahmer's, Ted Bundy's, Osama Bin Laden's, and James Eagan Holmes' of the world.  The other reason is that people who commit horrible crimes sometimes come to salvation by trusting in Jesus Christ for forgiveness, and accepting Him as their Lord; Dahmer and Bundy are good examples.  Unfortunately, most do not.

But, the real answer to where Jesus is when tragedy strikes is in heaven, where He is making intercession for us (Acts 2:33; Rom. 8:26-27, 34; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 7:25; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; etc.).

God understands our doubts and frustration; His Son "has been there!"