“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
Psalm 9: 9-10
Let’s begin by defining the word forsaken: It is an adjective which means abandoned or deserted. The online dictionary used it in a sentence as follows: “A journey into forgotten and forsaken places." What an epic sentence! Ironically, I recently took one such journey through my own thoughts. They were wandering lost as I wondered about my purpose; am I fulfilling it? My calling; am I answering it? My gifting; am I sharing it? My love; am I giving it? I could go on and should say that I was feeling a bit forgotten and even a little forsaken; not by anyone specifically; perhaps by myself in general.
As I was sitting there thinking and, frankly, falling into remorse, I received a text from a phone App that stated that “Jesus endured the loneliness of the Cross so that I could have a relationship with him”. This was two bits of striking information at an apropos moment. The text rang so true it pulled my thoughts back into the realm of curiosity. I had been taught the basic premise that Jesus died on the cross so that I would “not perish but have everlasting life”. That is the exact quote from scripture in John 3:16 Now, that is certainly true; but, I’d missed the parallel truth that Jesus’ sacrifice had the additional purpose of opening spiritual channels so that I build a relationship with him.
Beyond the relational point, the phone app text stated, “Jesus endured the loneliness of the cross….”, That got me to wondering about His mental state that day! Did He, indeed, feel loneliness in those moments. Never, and I mean never, had I associated the human feeling of loneliness to Christ’s crucifixion. But then I recalled Jesus’ statement, just before his death:
“My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?”
Matthew 27: 46
It’s so straight-forwarded I missed it: Jesus felt forsaken!
Talk about striking! Using the definition above and Jesus' exact words; He was feeling abandoned, deserted; dare I say, lonely! He cried out to his God, “My God. My God. WHY have you forsaken me?” HE felt the emotional heartbreak of one being isolated, the neglect of one being abandoned, the physical pain of corporal punishment, and the spiritual weight of the world as death approached. I can’t imagine the pain of this scourging as his feelings were soaring. Many things must have been going through his mind as he sacrificed his human life for great spiritual purposes.
Talk about striking! Using the definition above and Jesus' exact words; He was feeling abandoned, deserted; dare I say, lonely! He cried out to his God, “My God. My God. WHY have you forsaken me?” HE felt the emotional heartbreak of one being isolated, the neglect of one being abandoned, the physical pain of corporal punishment, and the spiritual weight of the world as death approached. I can’t imagine the pain of this scourging as his feelings were soaring. Many things must have been going through his mind as he sacrificed his human life for great spiritual purposes.
I remember how my thoughts were wandering over simple things like my calling, my gifting and my ability to love….and it dawned on me that I was really wondering about relationship; am I fellowshipping with others as God wants me to. A more purposed question is “Am I honoring the Lord with the heart that was saved for the very purpose of fellowship and relationship”; first with Him and then with others.
Jesus Christ, my brother, died so that I could have a relationship with Him. He would do anything, including laying down His life for me…so that I could learn to be like him and love others, like him, in the most generous way possible; with pure love that covers a multitude of sin. The profound truth is this: God, our Heavenly Father and Jesus, our brother want a relationship with us. This world spins on that truth. In fact, ancient scripture states that we are family and heirs with Christ:
“Now if we are children,
then we are heirs—
Heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ,
If indeed we share in his sufferings
In order that we may also share in his glory.”
Romans 8:17
There is nothing more holy than a spiritual awakening. This is now our spiritual quest; to be set apart, sanctified for a sacred task. The calling is to Love the Lord, your God with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love others as you love yourself. That, my friend, is God’s mighty power at work building eternal relationships; ones that will never feel the sting of death or the abandonment of the forsakened.
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:55
Jesus said….
“My command is this:
Love each other as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this:
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
John 15:12-13
“Jesus replied:
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart
And with all your soul
And with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it:
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus said….
“I no longer call you servants,
Because a servant does not know his mater’s business.
Instead, I have called you friends,
For everything that I have learned from my father
I have made known to you.”
John 15:15
The New Testament teaches:
Therefore, there is now no longer
condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
Because through Christ Jesus
the law of the Spirit who gives life
has set you free
From the law of sin and death.
For what the law was powerless to do
Because it was weakened by the flesh,
God did by sending his own Son
In the likeness of sinful flesh
To be a sin offering.
Romans 8: 1-4
Song Recommendation:
Jesus Loves Me
By: Chris Tomlin
No comments:
Post a Comment