My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?

Thought for Today -  July 24, 2023
My God,Why Hast Thou Forsaken  Me?
By: Robert A. Searles

Jesus cried out from the cross - "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mark15: 34; Psalm 22:1

God had temporarily forsaken his own son so that I and all who will receive him can be saved and reconciled to God our creator and father.

Psalm 22 describes the suffering and anguish which Christ suffered to accomplish our redemption.  Jesus spoke  through the words of David, the psalmist, these prophetic words long before Christ's appearance on earth. - "Be not far from me for trouble is near; for there is  none to help.  Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.  They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels.  My strength is dried up like a potsherd. and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.  I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots for my vesture.  But  be not thou far from me, o Lord my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from  the sword; my darling from  the power of the dog.  Save me from the lion's mouth:for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorn.  I will declare thy name unto my brethren: In the midst of the congregation will I praise  thee." Psalm 22: 11-22.

All this and much more did Christ suffer for us, and yet how ungrateful some of us are when we ignore his offer of love and compassion for us. 

Christ came into the world to love everybody and to  reveal all the attributes of God the Father, He came to offer himself a sacrifice to pay in full for the sins of all mankind. He did not come to condemn us, but to save us who are already condemned because of our sin nature.

How depraved we all must be when we spit in the face of such genuine, holy love of God. They who spit upon Christ, and did all the things that he describes in the gospels and the psalms, could have received him as their Savior and redeemer, and enjoyed all the goodness and blessings  which he had to offer them.  Instead, they blasphemed and crucified him, and chose Barabas, a man of hate and crime to go free, which typifies all of us who have been freed from sin and condemnation by Christ's sacrifice for us.

We  deserved to be the recipents of all the brutality and receive everlasting punishment.  We are guilty, but Christ was not guilty of any sin or wrong doing.  He was perfect in every way and knew no sin. He who had no sin of his own, took our sins and became sin for us.

May we today remember these things and offer up our praises and thanksgiving for all that we have in Christ Jesus.

"Ye that fear the Lord praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him all ye the seed of Israel" Psalm 22: 23

"All the ends of the world shall  shall remember  and turn unto the Lord: and the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee." Psalm 22: 27.