I know I usually write this blog on Wednesday's after I'd been at cRAVe for Tuesday night, but I have to admit I have a sneak peak into what we're talking about because I am writing / giving the message.
My God My God Why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 24:46)
King David first writes these words in Psalm 22. There are people who are out to kill David and he feels abandon by God. He goes on to write "Why are you so far from saving me Lord? Why are you so far from my cries? Why do I cry out to you but you do not answer?”
Job writes countless entries about how he feels abandon by God. Job loses everything, his family, his farms, his children , and his Wife. He continuously writes in anger and rage to and about God.
Jesus faces the most harsh punishment known to man- crucifixion. In the three hours he was hanging on the cross leading up to these words he silently prays "Father, Forgive them for they know not what they do". He then gently speaks to the criminal next to him on the cross saying "Today, I will remember you in paradise". Then at the third hour he screams from the very depths of his soul "Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani" which means in Aramaic "My Strong God, My Strong God, Why have you forsaken me?"
So my question that I pose is "what can we learn from Jesus' cry from the cross?"
We learn that it's okay to have abandonment feelings and vent to God. He wants to hear us cry to him when we're weak. We learn that there's nothing wrong with these feelings. King David, Job and Jesus the very Son of God feels abandon and angry. It's certainly okay that we feel this way.
The next thing we learn is that We need to cling to God in the worst of situations. Even in the worst situations of life we are to cling to God with both hands as Jesus did. In Jesus’ darkest hour with darkness all around him and within him Jesus still clung to God with both Hands. It’s easy to believe in God when life smiles on you. But it’s more difficult to believe when life frowns on you. Sometimes life can be incredibly hard. We are to cling to God with both hands. And what are the darkest days of human history? When was the sky the darkest? Was it when there were 32 students and teachers gunned down at Virginia Tech? Was it when the Twin towers fell and thousands of people lost their lives and family? Was our darkest day when Six million Jews exterminated in the gas chambers of the Holocaust? In all those horrific tragedies we are invited to do what Jesus did in his darkest hour, reach out to God with both hands crying out to him, shouting in despair.
The next thing we need to know is that God has not abandon Jesus. Not for one second has he left his side, nor has he ever abandon King David, Job or any one of us. We also learn and that these are not Jesus' last words from the cross.
King David wrote 'My God why have you forsaken me' but among King David's last written words are also "The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want".
Job writes among his last words "I know that my redeemer lives"
And so with Jesus... "My God My God why have you forsaken me" is not the last thing Jesus cries.
There you go - a sneak peek of cRAVE and you're lent 101 for the week
Happy Monday everyone (wow am I on top of things or what?)
My God My God Why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 24:46)
King David first writes these words in Psalm 22. There are people who are out to kill David and he feels abandon by God. He goes on to write "Why are you so far from saving me Lord? Why are you so far from my cries? Why do I cry out to you but you do not answer?”
Job writes countless entries about how he feels abandon by God. Job loses everything, his family, his farms, his children , and his Wife. He continuously writes in anger and rage to and about God.
Jesus faces the most harsh punishment known to man- crucifixion. In the three hours he was hanging on the cross leading up to these words he silently prays "Father, Forgive them for they know not what they do". He then gently speaks to the criminal next to him on the cross saying "Today, I will remember you in paradise". Then at the third hour he screams from the very depths of his soul "Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani" which means in Aramaic "My Strong God, My Strong God, Why have you forsaken me?"
So my question that I pose is "what can we learn from Jesus' cry from the cross?"
We learn that it's okay to have abandonment feelings and vent to God. He wants to hear us cry to him when we're weak. We learn that there's nothing wrong with these feelings. King David, Job and Jesus the very Son of God feels abandon and angry. It's certainly okay that we feel this way.
The next thing we learn is that We need to cling to God in the worst of situations. Even in the worst situations of life we are to cling to God with both hands as Jesus did. In Jesus’ darkest hour with darkness all around him and within him Jesus still clung to God with both Hands. It’s easy to believe in God when life smiles on you. But it’s more difficult to believe when life frowns on you. Sometimes life can be incredibly hard. We are to cling to God with both hands. And what are the darkest days of human history? When was the sky the darkest? Was it when there were 32 students and teachers gunned down at Virginia Tech? Was it when the Twin towers fell and thousands of people lost their lives and family? Was our darkest day when Six million Jews exterminated in the gas chambers of the Holocaust? In all those horrific tragedies we are invited to do what Jesus did in his darkest hour, reach out to God with both hands crying out to him, shouting in despair.
The next thing we need to know is that God has not abandon Jesus. Not for one second has he left his side, nor has he ever abandon King David, Job or any one of us. We also learn and that these are not Jesus' last words from the cross.
King David wrote 'My God why have you forsaken me' but among King David's last written words are also "The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want".
Job writes among his last words "I know that my redeemer lives"
And so with Jesus... "My God My God why have you forsaken me" is not the last thing Jesus cries.
There you go - a sneak peek of cRAVE and you're lent 101 for the week
Happy Monday everyone (wow am I on top of things or what?)
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