Never Forsaken

Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Last night in the college group, we were discussing our purpose in life. I have to admit that while I know it's to bring Him glory, I'm still working on how that looks in my daily life. In the process of the conversation, we talked about how lonely it can be to stand for the Lord. It got me to thinking about the feeling of being forsaken.

I've never felt that I was forsaken a day in my life. I've always been blessed by having good parents who cared about my well-being, good friends who come along side to encourage me, and a Lord who loves me indescribably. Yes, there are times of acute loneliness, even being in the middle of many people. Times when I don't think there is another person on the planet who understands me or my situation. Times when I truly don't want to do this walk even one more day. As I shared with the students, we must accept the fact that there will be loneliness and times of being alone. But for those who have trusted Christ, there will never be a moment of being forsaken. When I read the above verse today, I have a bittersweet reaction to it. I think what it must have been like for Jesus to experience that total ripping apart from the Father he'd known for eternity past. How suffocating the total aloneness would have been. How He had to know that He would be rejected by many. He'd never been separated from Abba Father.... and He did it because of me. Because of my sin. Because of my separation. And the sad thing, the very fact that until He opened my eyes to my need, I didn't even realize I was apart from God. I am humbled that He did that for me, ever so grateful, and loving Him even more. Thank you, Jesus.