Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Psalm 22:1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?
WHY ARE YOU SO FAR FROM … MY GROANING?
When on the cross Jesus cried out: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" He didn't use these words because David had written them down. David wrote them down because Jesus was going to cry out in this fashion. Does that sound impossible? Too great a miracle? Beyond belief? When the eternal Son of God is forsaken by His Father because He has taken upon Himself the sin-guilt of our entire race?
Hush! And listen with reverence. And never ever forget He was willing to undergo this for you.
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13).
The wrath of God was poured out on Him.
In Gethsemane the Son cried out for relief and found peace in the Father's will. An angel was sent to His aid. Now no friendly countenance looks down on Christ, no word of comfort comes from above. His soul thirsts for God, but God has removed Himself.
"Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?"
The Son has not left the Father. The Father has left the Son.
"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
God the Father has turned away and Jesus asks, "Why?" See how far He has humbled Himself for you. When God withdrew from His Son He not only withdrew His strength and comfort, He withdrew all communication. There was no answer to Jesus' agonized prayer. Not to know why at the very time God turned from Him, surely this was the worst agony of all for Christ's soul!
Comfortless Thy soul did languish, Me to comfort in my anguish.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 151:5)
