Why Have You Forsaken Me

Matthew 27:45-47

“45 From noon on, darkness came over the whole land[p] until three in the afternoon. 46 And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

Jesus, at this point, was covered in the sins of the world, sins that did not belong to Him, sins that He did not commit.  At this moment he felt alone and deserted, as if no one cared.  

At that time, he felt as we feel when we are weighed down by our own sins.  He cried out as we cry out when we feel isolated by our sins,  “God, don’t you care about me?”  

On that day, during that dark time, Christ experienced the pain and suffering and loneliness of the sins of the world.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)