Christian Reflection and Prayer

Read Psalm 22. TEXT: And about the ninth hour,
Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama
sabacthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You
forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46).

For three excruciating hours Jesus hangs in darkness,
cut off from any comfort, any hope. He is battered and
ravaged as His Father unleashes wave after wave of His
furious wrath at our sins, which Jesus has taken upon
Himself. As the hour slowly approaches three in the
afternoon Jesus raises His voice in a heart-rending cry,
"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

For the first time in His life, Jesus does not address God
as His Father. He has been cut off and disowned because
of our sin which He bears. In His place many of us would
turn our backs on God, but not Jesus. He knows the God
of Israel alone can save Him from this torment, this
endless death. With the use of a single letter in the
Aramaic, translated as our simple English word "my,"
Jesus clings to His God with a faith that will not crack, will
not fail-even while being crushed under the fiery justice of
the Almighty. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

To those Jews standing around Jesus these words are
familiar. They recognize the opening verse of Psalm 22.
Though Jesus speaks only the first half of the first verse, the
remainder of the psalm echoes through the silence that follows.

In the coming days we will study the entire psalm and see
ever more clearly the depth of Christ's loving sacrifice for us-
and the faith and devotion that kept Him reaching out to His
God. 

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, to save me and all people, You were
forsaken by Your Father, and suffered the punishment for all
of our sins. Deepen my gratitude for Your tremendous sacrifice,
and my confidence in Your complete victory. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)