Mt. 27:45-50 from the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" ?which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He?s calling Elijah." Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let?s see if Elijah comes to save him." And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
Ps. 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you
so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
A few days ago, I went for a walk. I often find this the best time , to pray and commune with the LORD. The LORD lead me towards a catholic church about mile and half away from my house. It was a hot stuffy day. I walked about, looked at the beautiful stained glass, and the Stations of the Cross. I sat down at a pew, look toward the altar. I sat quietly for sometime. I felt the old truth resonate "be still and know I Am the LORD." Above the altar I saw four stained glass windows, each with a picture of a saint. In the middle was a painting, showing our crucified LORD; with some of the women looking on in sorrow.
As I sat looking at the picture, I thought about "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"- "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?." This phrase had always confounded me. When I was a non-believer I thought it proved Jesus was not God (it brakes my heart to write something like that now.) even as a believer it still confounds me. It is one of the few verses written (both in Mark and Matthew), in Aramaic. The only other one his calling the Father "Abba".
Then the LORD taught me why it is so important. While Christ was on earth he had suffered all things. He had known physical suffering of his trials and the cross. He had know hunger in the desert. He had known the rejection of the religious authorities, his hometown and even his own family. He had known betrayal by one of his disciples. He also had known joy, the wedding of Cana, turning water in to wine. The joyful praise of those who had come to him broken and lost, to be saved and made whole. He had known the joy of the children coming to him for blessing and comfort. He had known the friendship and love of his disciples. Through all this was his constant communion and love with his father. Where ever he went his father went also.
"I and the Father are one." John 10:30
All throughout his earthly ministry, The Lord was one with his (and our) Father. He experienced and felt our sorrows and our joys. There was only one thing he had not experienced loneliness. His communion with the Father was ever there. When Christ went to Gethsemane; he said to his John, Peter and James "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Then he prayed "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." What produced such great sorrow, was it the crooked trial, the rejection and humiliation of the cross, the agony of the crucifixion.
Or was it that dreaded moment of darkness, when the Lamb of God, would take on the sins of the world. The moment the Father would turn away his face. His father (our Father) Father whom he had always communed and loved. Together, in great joy, Father and Son created the universe. From eternity past, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, always together. For that moment in time, on the cross, in agony, The Son of God came to know the complete separation from his Father.
I wept at this knowledge. I had known it in my head, but until then, not in my heart. Still there is more. In the life of a saint there will be times, that seem like separation, the profound separation. This is not separation, for the as Christ said: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Instead when to Lord has stripped away the crutches of my life. Shown me all the worldly life preservers that I cling to, to be useless. When he has torn from me every 'toy'. Then I will feel loneliness like a child, crying for my lost 'toys'. Then can I drink in the full measure of his grace, his love, and his mercy. This has not yet happened in my life. Now I just sip from his cup of grace, then run back to my toys. But even a sip is infinitely greater then anything in this world. This will happen to many other saints also. The Lord has shown me this will happen. I was afraid and tearful at this.
There was still something more. There are some people who will know the profound loneliness Christ felt. It is those who have rejected the gospel. The judged and lost will know the profound separation from God. It will burn them for eternity. This is even more sorrowful. This is the reason the Gospel must be spread. That is why we must pray for the lost. I feel ill equipped to too much. It is only through the LORD?s will, love and his strength that anyone can be saved.
Mt. 19:25,26 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
I would finish this story with a prayer.
Dearest Lord,
I thank you that you have saved me from that profound loneliness.
I thank you LORD Christ that you have died and suffered in my place, for the sins I have committed.
I have not in any way earned my salvation.
It is a gift of love from your infinite mercy and grace.
Help me to remember this profound loneliness that await those who are lost.
Teach me Lord, how to speak, how to pray and how to live.
That your light may shine through, and bear witness to your mercy and love.
In all things, good and bad, I praise you and thank you.
In name of Jesus Christ I pray.
Amen.
Ps. 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you
so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
A few days ago, I went for a walk. I often find this the best time , to pray and commune with the LORD. The LORD lead me towards a catholic church about mile and half away from my house. It was a hot stuffy day. I walked about, looked at the beautiful stained glass, and the Stations of the Cross. I sat down at a pew, look toward the altar. I sat quietly for sometime. I felt the old truth resonate "be still and know I Am the LORD." Above the altar I saw four stained glass windows, each with a picture of a saint. In the middle was a painting, showing our crucified LORD; with some of the women looking on in sorrow.
As I sat looking at the picture, I thought about "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"- "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?." This phrase had always confounded me. When I was a non-believer I thought it proved Jesus was not God (it brakes my heart to write something like that now.) even as a believer it still confounds me. It is one of the few verses written (both in Mark and Matthew), in Aramaic. The only other one his calling the Father "Abba".
Then the LORD taught me why it is so important. While Christ was on earth he had suffered all things. He had known physical suffering of his trials and the cross. He had know hunger in the desert. He had known the rejection of the religious authorities, his hometown and even his own family. He had known betrayal by one of his disciples. He also had known joy, the wedding of Cana, turning water in to wine. The joyful praise of those who had come to him broken and lost, to be saved and made whole. He had known the joy of the children coming to him for blessing and comfort. He had known the friendship and love of his disciples. Through all this was his constant communion and love with his father. Where ever he went his father went also.
"I and the Father are one." John 10:30
All throughout his earthly ministry, The Lord was one with his (and our) Father. He experienced and felt our sorrows and our joys. There was only one thing he had not experienced loneliness. His communion with the Father was ever there. When Christ went to Gethsemane; he said to his John, Peter and James "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Then he prayed "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." What produced such great sorrow, was it the crooked trial, the rejection and humiliation of the cross, the agony of the crucifixion.
Or was it that dreaded moment of darkness, when the Lamb of God, would take on the sins of the world. The moment the Father would turn away his face. His father (our Father) Father whom he had always communed and loved. Together, in great joy, Father and Son created the universe. From eternity past, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, always together. For that moment in time, on the cross, in agony, The Son of God came to know the complete separation from his Father.
I wept at this knowledge. I had known it in my head, but until then, not in my heart. Still there is more. In the life of a saint there will be times, that seem like separation, the profound separation. This is not separation, for the as Christ said: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Instead when to Lord has stripped away the crutches of my life. Shown me all the worldly life preservers that I cling to, to be useless. When he has torn from me every 'toy'. Then I will feel loneliness like a child, crying for my lost 'toys'. Then can I drink in the full measure of his grace, his love, and his mercy. This has not yet happened in my life. Now I just sip from his cup of grace, then run back to my toys. But even a sip is infinitely greater then anything in this world. This will happen to many other saints also. The Lord has shown me this will happen. I was afraid and tearful at this.
There was still something more. There are some people who will know the profound loneliness Christ felt. It is those who have rejected the gospel. The judged and lost will know the profound separation from God. It will burn them for eternity. This is even more sorrowful. This is the reason the Gospel must be spread. That is why we must pray for the lost. I feel ill equipped to too much. It is only through the LORD?s will, love and his strength that anyone can be saved.
Mt. 19:25,26 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
I would finish this story with a prayer.
Dearest Lord,
I thank you that you have saved me from that profound loneliness.
I thank you LORD Christ that you have died and suffered in my place, for the sins I have committed.
I have not in any way earned my salvation.
It is a gift of love from your infinite mercy and grace.
Help me to remember this profound loneliness that await those who are lost.
Teach me Lord, how to speak, how to pray and how to live.
That your light may shine through, and bear witness to your mercy and love.
In all things, good and bad, I praise you and thank you.
In name of Jesus Christ I pray.
Amen.
!