Sighs from the Darkness

The sermon begins by introducing the Book of Psalms as the prayer book of believers for thousands of years, containing various genres including praise, thanksgiving, and laments. Of the 150 Psalms, approximately 51 (one-third of the total) are laments from individuals and the people. However, most of these end with hope, except for Psalms 39 and 88. The pastor chose Psalm 88 to remind the church that beside the certain promises full of hope in Romans 8, Scripture also teaches that every believer will experience darkness in life.

The sermon develops three fundamental reasons why darkness is a certain reality in the believer's life. Psalm 88 describes two types of darkness: external darkness (from losses, illness, divorce, death of loved ones) and inner spiritual darkness (when believers do not feel God's presence, do not hear God's voice, and only sense God's silence and wrath). The author Heman describes the feeling of being buried alive, abandoned among the dead, with the "waves" of God's wrath continuously overwhelming. The pastor explains that erroneous formulas like "name it, claim it" or "faith guarantees blessing" do not reflect Scripture. Professor Martin Marty comments that anyone wanting to develop a life philosophy from Scripture where everything always turns out well would have to tear Psalm 88 out of the Bible.

The sermon continues teaching that darkness can help us recognize God's love and grace more deeply. The pastor tells the story of a believer on a rooftop flood who refused three rescue attempts, hoping for God's deliverance, and ultimately died by drowning but later understood that God rescued him three times. This shows that God is compassionate and hears even when believers speak words of complaint and accusation against God. Derek Kidner comments that the presence of these lament prayers in Scripture witnesses to God's understanding. The pastor shares a personal experience of serious illness twenty years ago when hearing Psalm 139 on the radio brought comfort. God's silence is not abandonment but like a mother standing outside a dark room, listening and praying for her child.

The sermon concludes by teaching that darkness can help us mature in Christ. When we pray without feeling God listens, when we serve without receiving visible blessings, that is the attitude of a mature believer. This relates to Job's story, where Satan accuses Job of loving God only because God blessed him. The pastor emphasizes that Christ himself experienced absolute darkness on the cross when he cried out, "My Father, why have you forsaken me?" Christ bore darkness so we might receive light, was forsaken so we might be fully accepted. Therefore, even in prolonged darkness, believers can know that darkness has purpose, and ultimately all things work together for good for those who are called.