"Forsaken For Us"
April 10, 2009
Mark 15:34 - And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" - which means, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
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God was silent. Christ, the Son of the Living God, was hanging on a tree, being crucified at the behest of His own people, and God was silent. Jesus calls out in a loud voice, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" And still God was silent. He gives no answer. There is no booming voice from heaven that offers an explanation. Instead, there is only darkness and silence.
But why? How often do we ask ourselves this question when all of the circumstances in our world point us to believe that God has forsaken us as well? We ask these questions when we look for evidence of God's presence in our lives, but seem to find only silence.
This Lenten season as we approach the cross of our Lord, God's promise to us is rock solid: "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5b). Though there is no direct answer from God while Christ hung dying upon the cross, we rest in His sure promises. St. Paul tells us in Galatians 3:13a that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us," and in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For our sake He (God) made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
Indeed, Christ was forsaken by God for us, in our stead on the cross, that we might rest in the sure and certain hope that God will never forsake us. That is His promise to you and to me. Even when everything around us points us to believe that God is silent, that He has forsaken us, He is still with us; He is still for us.
For, as Paul writes, there is nothing in this world or beyond that can "separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:39b).
THE PRAYER: Gracious and merciful God, through the death and forsakenness of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, You opened to us the way of everlasting life. Grant that we may know Your presence and take comfort in Your promise to never leave us or forsake us. We pray this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Written by Pastor Josh Hatcher
St. Paul Lutheran Church - Annapolis, Maryland
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