Saturday, February 23, 2013
Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
NO LONGER OUR SUFFERING
Christ was forsaken so that we would not need to be. It should have been us crying in agony but it was Christ instead. Have you ever passed by an individual who seemed to be in misery? Have you ever seen a person in great pain, and shuddered thinking, "Thank the Lord it isn't me"? Have you ever had a close encounter with death? Have you ever been inches from being in a car accident, and shuddered thinking that was too close? Because Christ groaned in agony from the bottom of His soul asking, "Why have you forsaken me, O God?" Because Christ was forsaken, and at His plea God did not respond. Because these are Christ's words, they are not mine.
And oh how thankful and joyful I am to know that never ever will I have to ask, "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?" The fullness of suffering that would cause this cry is not something I can even imagine, but thanks be to Christ, I will never have to experience it, not even in my imagination. God the Father forsook Christ and refused to answer Him or even look upon Him, so that He might answer me. It is no coincidence that the psalm immediately following this one puts absolute confidence in a God that will never forsake. "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want, He makes me to lie down in green pastures, He restores my soul."
