The Forty-Day Journey of Promise
Day Four: The Ear of Jehovah
Note: Welcome to The Journey, our forty-day blog series where we’re learning life lessons from the legacy of African American Christianity. The series is based upon material from my book Beyond the Suffering. To learn more about Beyond the Suffering, including downloading a free chapter, click here.
Cries and Tears: To the God Who Hears and Sees
Olaudah Equiano (click here for the original post on Equiano) was not alone in perceiving with faith eyes the hidden work of God. The oft invisible hand of God softly, yet firmly, left his compassionate fingerprints on the trusting hearts of millions of enslaved Africans including Quobna Cugoano.
Cugoano was born on the coast of present-day Ghana, in the Fante village of Agimaque. In 1770, at the age of 13, he was playing with other children, enjoying peace and tranquility and the amusement of catching wild birds, “when several great ruffians came upon us suddenly.”
Led away at gunpoint, they eventually came to a town where Cugoano saw several white people, “which made me afraid that they would eat me, according to our notion as children in the inland parts of the country.” He was conducted away to the ship after a three-day imprisonment in the baracoon—a euphemistic term for concentration camps where the kidnapped Africans were held without respect to gender, family, or tribal affiliation, until slavers came to buy their cargo.
“It was a most horrible scene; there was nothing to be heard but the rattling of chains, smacking of whips, and the groans and cries of our fellowmen.” Cugoano’s experience was anything but rare. Torment saturated the months-long experience from capture to importation. The process was physically and psychologically bewildering.
After briefly describing the external debasement of his situation, Cugoano highlights his internal anguish. “I was thus lost to my dear indulgent parents and relations, and they to me. All my help was cries and tears, and these could not avail; nor suffered long, till one succeeding woe, and dread, swelled up another.”
Jehovah Sabaoth: The Lord Almighty
He was not isolated in his agony.
“The cries of some, and the sight of their misery, may be seen and heard afar; but the deep sounding groans of thousands, and the great sadness of their misery and woe, under the heavy load of oppressions and calamities inflicted upon them, are such as can only be distinctly known to the ear of Jehovah Sabaoth.”
How did he, how did they, how do we maintain our souls when treated soullessly? Like Cugoano, we entrust ourselves to Jehovah Sabaoth: the Lord Almighty, the Lord of Hosts who rules over his universe with affectionate sovereignty. Like Hagar, the slave forced to bear her master’s child (Genesis 16:1-4), we commune with the God who hears our misery (Genesis 16:11). We pray to “the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).
We minister healing soul care to our spiritual friends suffering under unspiritual treatment by encouraging them to groan to God. We encourage such groaning by helping them to cling to biblical images of God: the Warrior God who spoke the universe into existence and still speaks powerfully today, the God with ears cupped to hear their cries, the God with eyes like the Hubble telescope to see their misery.
Join the Conversation (Post a Comment for a Chance to Receive a Copy of Beyond the Suffering)
1. What would our churches be like if they were “moaning communities”—if we suffered together rather than alone?
2. In our times of suffering, what images of God should fill our minds?
3. How could you help your spiritual friends to see God as the Warrior God speaking powerfully today, the God with ears cupped to hear their cries, and the God with eyes like the Hubble telescope to see their misery?
I want to begin by saying that this is a wonderfully anointed post. It has truly ministered to me.
As a person who grew up in church and has been in minsitry for 20 years what I am about to say might sound harsh. I don’t mean for it to. I just long for the “Body of Christ” to be all it is meant to be. I believe our churches would be “churches” rather than “clubs” if we became “moaning communities” suffering together rather than alone. We’d be a healthy “Body” rather than a sick “silhouette.” Not only would those already a part of the community find healing and growth in their times of suffering others coming in would experience GOD.
He does enter into our sufferings. When we are broken He places us back on the wheel, runs his Hands over us, and reforms us. When we wander He seeks us out, picks us up, and carried us back to the flock. When we are in need of comfort He bends down to sing over us His lullabies of love. Most amazing to me is the fact that He knows the number of hairs on our head, is aware of every sparrow that falls from the sky, clothes the lillies of the field, keeps everything in orbit and still has time for each one of us. It’s beyond my ability to comprehend. Never overwhelmed or overcome His strength is that much more evident in our times of weakness.
Over and over again the Bible vividly paints images of God coming to man’s rescue. Some I have touched on already. One image that I often use with other people is that of a Father carrying a child. He hears our cries, He picks us up, holds us close, and takes becomes our place of refuge. Words can’t fully describe it but a short video “RAIN” that I keep on my iPod does a wonderful job. I watch it often and share it even more often.
There’s so much more I could say but let me just say that this post has ministered to me. Thank you, Bob, for allowing God to use you!
He’s promised to hear us when we cry out. I think that society has send a message “big boys don’t cry” but the truth of the matter is–they do. If not on the outside than on the inside. How much better it would be to get it out and allow God into the middle. He’s there but many times we’re unaware of His presence because we’ve used