Forsaken so we could be forgiven. On the cross Jesus cries out the same words David penned in Psalm 22 "My God My God why have you forsaken me?" This may seem like He's questioning or doubting but Hebrews tells us that "for the joy set before him he endured the cross" (Heb. 12:2). For the joy of reconciling man to God he went to the cross on our behalf, for us, in our place. Jesus had always known perfect relationship with the Father until He took on our sin (2. Cor 5:21) which separated him for the very first time from the Father - he cries out. He took on God's judgment of our sin so could have relationship with God. It meant darkness for him, but would be light for us. Because we forsook God from the beginning of time, God forsakes His son Jesus for a time so we could be forgiven. God turned his face from his Son so that He could turn to us and make us His sons and daughters. He was forsaken so we could be forgiven.
Read Passage: My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” — Mark 15:34
Reflection Questions:
1. In what ways does reflecting on Jesus being forsaken by God (took on our sin separating Him from God) so that we could be reconciled to God, speak life and hope to areas you may feel forsaken or forgtten by God? Come to the Father with confidence and cry out to Him, be heard and entrust your life, your very soul to Him who hears (read Heb. 4:7-16).
2. Read Psalm 22. What hope and encouragement do you find in the words in this Psalm and from the way the Psalmist cries out to God?
3. Jesus lowered himself from his heavenly position (Phil. 2:5-11 ) to put on the garment of flesh to then be stripped of his physical garment on the cross so that we could be clothed in His garment of righteousness. No amount of moral living can give us right standing with God, the cross is the only place where the consequence of death from sin nature can be dealt with. As we've been reflecting at the foot of the cross, how are you seeing Jesus' sacrifice on the cross new, differently, deeper?
Prayer:
Father, you gave up your Son to take on the weight and guilt of our sin. Thank you is not enough. We are undeserving and long to be in awe, wonder and worship at who You are and what You were willing to do to bring us in right relationship with You. Grip our hearts to marvel at the depth of darkness of your judgment that Jesus took in our place. May sin be increasingly sickening and repelling to the new life you offer us in Christ. The gift and cost of Your Son bearing what we deserve is because of your immeasurable love. May our hearts and therefore our lives live in step with assurance of your great love and that we will never be forsaken by You. When we have feelings of despair and in dark places, remind us of Jesus and the darkness He took on so we could live in the light of Your love and truth. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.