Psalm 22:1-5
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises. In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. Psalm 22:1-5 (NIV)
You may recognize these first words as one of the things Jesus said while hanging on the cross. This Psalm was meant to be sung as a hymn, and was well known as a hymn in Jesus’ time. I’m willing to bet we all have felt abandoned by God at some time, and have had similar feelings, but here the Psalmist states clearly that God is the Holy One, and has rescued many people before us without fail. Jesus had to go through the separation from God as he carried the weight of the sins of the world, which had to be traumatic since he was always in unity with God and the Spirit. Yet he did it willingly so we would not have to experience that separation from God eternally. While it may seem like we go through periods of time where God is nowhere to be found, if we remember His faithfulness to believers, we can be comforted until the time when God reveals Himself to us again. Most of the time, God has been right by our side, and we have just been too preoccupied with our problems to notice Him.
Being alone and loneliness is now deemed to be a bigger problem than in past years, despite all our digital connections. How do you overcome loneliness or the feeling that you have been forsaken? God has given us a powerful medicine in the church, which is made up of people, many of whom have felt a separation from God or other people. A place to gather, to connect, to worship together, and find ways to help others in our community is a wonderful way to feel God’s presence when you feel alone. Remember the praise and affirmation that the Psalmist writes at the end of the passage and bring that to church next time, even if you are feeling alone or abandoned. God will answer your prayers!
Questions for Reflection:
- When was the last time you felt abandoned by God?
- How long was it before God “found” you again, either by Himself or through other people?
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you once felt abandoned on the cross to save us from being abandoned. Help us remember your sacrifice and gift of salvation to lift us through those times where we feel abandoned and alone. Thank you for the congregation of believers that help us in those dark times and help us celebrate your love. Amen.
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