Christian Reflection and Prayer

Read Matthew 8:5-13.

TEXT: Why are You so far from saving me, from the
words of my groaning? (See Psalm 22:1.)

On the cross Jesus quotes the beginning of Psalm 22,
"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Each
verse of Psalm 22 is made up of couplets-two phrases
linked together to make the meaning more clear and
powerful. Jesus' first spoken phrase (described in
yesterday's devotion) speaks of being cut off, abandoned,
and forsaken by His Father on account of our sins. At the
same time, however, it shows Him tightly holding to His
Father in faith: "My God, My God." The unspoken
second phrase of that couplet describes that
forsakenness. "Why are You so far from saving me, from
the words of My groaning?"

For hours Jesus has been groaning in pain on the cross.
And like the words of a prayer, those bitter groans have
been continually rising to His Father's throne. Yet those
silent prayers went unanswered, the pain and torment
continued. His back turned, the Father ignores His Son's
groaning, refusing to step in and bring an end to the bitter
pangs.

Often we find ourselves under heavy burdens in life, crying
out to God through our groaning and our tears. Yet, we do
not get the relief we so desperately seek. God seems far,
far away. He seems not to care, or He seems angry at us
for sins we have committed and the times we have been
unfaithful. But that is only how it appears to us. God
removed all our sins and laid them on Jesus in our place.
Jesus was truly cut off and forsaken so our Father would
never have to do that to us. Our sins are forgiven for His
sake. Thanks be to God for the Spirit's work in leading us
to repentance-and to faith.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, sometimes we call upon You to save
us, to hear the words of our groaning, and You seem far
away. Remind us that You are our ever-present help in
times of trouble. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

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)

Read Matthew 8: 5-13.

TEXT: It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness
over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light
failed (see Luke 23:44-45).

Three long, dreadful hours have passed since Jesus was
crucified. Around noon a dramatic change takes place. Suddenly,
Jesus, the criminals, the Roman guards, the Jewish leaders, and
the crowds are cast into an eerie, unnatural darkness because
the sun fails to shine. Jesus had spoken of such darkness before.
 
In the reading above, Jesus was asked to heal the servant of a
Roman centurion. Contrasting the faith of this non-Jew with the
doubt and disbelief many of His fellow Jews felt toward Him, Jesus
warned the crowds, "Many will come from east and west and
recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of
heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer
darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Now this outer darkness envelopes Jesus. Though He has been
absolutely flawless and perfect throughout his entire life and has
committed no crime great or small, He is cut off from the glory of
heaven. The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity, the sin, the guilt of
us all.

We are the ones who deserve this darkness because of our
disobedience to God's perfect will. We should be shackled in the
everlasting night of hell to suffer excruciating, endless agony. But
our King suffers through the darkness of the cross that we might
be forgiven and inherit His glorious home in heaven.
 
Cut off from any comfort of created light, our Savior Jesus Christ
bears the brunt of His Father's furious judgment at the sins of the
world.

THE PRAYER: 

Lord Jesus, who can fathom the depths of Your love in taking our
place under Your Father's wrath, being forsaken and punished in our
stead? Thank You for Your gracious salvation and accept our loving
praise, worship and service. Amen.

(Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)