Word for Today....Forsaken??????
Scripture: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matt 27:46
Why hast thou forsaken me?
We have Jesus on the cross paying a price that we deserved to pay. He cried with a loud voice, "Why have you forsaken me?" To the non-spiritual it would appear that God has lied. He has told us that He would neverleave us nor forsake us but would be with us until the end of the world. And God is NOT a man that He should lie. So why then is Jesus asking God this question? To get to the answer, you MUST understand the question. The question wasn't about whether Jesus thought that He had actually been left to bare this burden alone. It was about him being the sacrifice ALONE for us. Jesus had to compromise and release His deity for filthy humanity. This level of suffering wasn't about WHO Jesus was; it was about WHAT He had been purposed to do. It is here that Jesus feels the pain of us all. His loud cry was not for himself, but for the world. His anguish was not about him dying, but us living. This suffering wasn't about his enemies, it was about his friends. It wasn't about his persecution but about his purpose. Jesus came to do the will of the Father and doing the will of the Father is much more difficult than merely dealing with temptation. Dealing with temptations we have God to help and provide a way of escape. When dealing and walking out the will of God, no one is there to give you a way of escape because who can withstand God?
Jesus was at a place where he couldn't feel the presence of God. While in the garden he was aware of the agony of sin, but here on the cross he actually experiences what sin does – it brings forth death! But His death was not any ordinary death! His death was an extraordinary design of God. It was in the plan of God when he gave Moses the 10 Commandments and the structure of the tabernacle. It was in the plan of God when God talked to David and said He was going to build David a house that would continue forever. It was in the divine plan of God when Isaiah said, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
It is here that we see that Jesus is brought to another level. This is the level where “you don’t feel like talking to your closest friends, your prayer partner or my mama.” It seems that the heavens have shut up and no answers are allowed to come within 10 miles of your house. But like Job, thought He slay me YET will I trust Him. This is the level where you declare to the devil,” For God I live and for God I die.” I am STILL going to worship even if I don’t hear His voice. I am still going to praise even if the heavenly choir isn't backing me up. Because I praise Him because of who He is and what He has ALREADY done. I praise Him because He is being glorified through me. He trusts me enough to give me this cross. I have been proven worthy to suffer for Him. But being on the cross doesn’t equate to being forsaken. Paul said we are persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. It is the WILL of God being manifested in our lives, so that we can have more power and more anointing and He can be glorified. And after the 3 day, Jesus rose with all power and He is raising us up with power. Israel Houghton wrote a song that simply says, "I AM NOT FORGOTTEN, GOD KNOWS MY NAME." I leave with you that God knows your name AND your pain, for He has so designed it for you.
Be Blessed!
