Getting things done ** Why?

Mark 15: 34

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

Have you ever gone through a time in your life when you weren't feeling particularly spiritual? When it seemed like hard work to even pray?

A time that you doubted God and wrestled with Him when you didn't like His plan for you, or become angry when it seemed as though your prayers were not being answered?

Perhaps you’ve have wondered where He was; or even, if He was…

Today’s verse should bring us great comfort to know that even our Savior had human feelings.

We don't like the thought of our Savior hurting.

We don't like to consider the pain our sins caused Him.

And regardless of the many different theological thoughts on this verse.

Actuality, these words are wonderful … Because they connected us.

This was the moment our brokenness reached deep within Christ’s spirit.

They bound us to our Father like the tiny hand of a newborn curls around his father's finger.

Jesus became sin so that we could be free from it.

In becoming our sin, He had an incredibly human experience — multiplied by the lives of every being the Father had ever created.

He echoed the very heart-wrenching words our heart cries out silently when life seems to give us more than we can bare... when we have shaken off every reasoning… and can find no reason… when we simply don't understand... when we are tempted to consider our Father has forsaken us, leaving us to suffer alone.

I remember a time in my Christian life that I thought it was wrong to question God…

But as I realized that The Lord knows my thoughts and my heart and I He reminded me that Jesus asked God "why?"

Just as today’s scripture verse tells us…

That while Jesus was on the cross, dying for the sins of the world, He asked God, "Why have You forsaken Me?"

Jesus never sinned, so asking God "why" does not have to be wrong.

By being honest with the Lord, our hearts are softened to receive His wisdom while helping us to move forward in faith.

So remember, asking "why" is not sin…

But receiving an answer to our questions and then doubting the answer … that sin.

Jesus knew, as no other human being could, what separation from God would mean. He knew God’s love, he knew God’s fellowship, and the thought of being away from it even for a short time forced him to cry out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" In other words, "Where are you?"

As Martin Luther said, "Who can understand it?" 

And it’s true. Who would want to be our substitute?

Who can understand such love? Praise to the name of Jesus!

For Jesus is the Love that was willing!

 Today’s devotion is based in part by CBN