Feeling Forsaken

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,” lema sabachthani? (which means) ” My God, my God, why have you forsake me?”

We are standing on Golgotha and watching in dismay how Jesus is dying a painful death, so that we may be united with God. Christ has prayed for His enemies, He has given a murderer the assurance of salvation. He has made provision for his mother and brother. Now a heavy silence rests on Golgotha, because darkness has descended. Then the air is split by an agonized cry: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Christ was not delirious, he was forsaken by God! He did not think he was forsaken by God: He was forsaken by God! This was all for our sakes. Forsaken! Is there a sadder word in any language in the world? Forsaken by your friends, your parents, your people and family? Jesus knew all of this. But now he had experienced the greatest rejection: being forsaken by God! The soul of Christ suffering was not the suffering of his body, it was the suffering of his soul.

Because he suffered, he is able to identify with us when darkness settles in our lives, and we all know such times. No torment we know could ever equal Christ’s torment. When we suffer, we once again realize God’s unshakable faith in his bottomless sorrow. Even if it was dark around him and he felt God forsaken, it was always, “My God”! He knew that he would never drift out of the sphere of God’s love. Thus we should also believe without a doubt that because Jesus died, we cannot drift away from God’s love.

Grace and Peace To You My Friends