Why God, Why?
"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" - Psalm 22:1
Many Christians have a hard time understanding why on the cross Christ cried out, "Father, why have You forsaken Me?" On the surface, it seems contradictory to what we know of Christ, His understanding of His earthly mission, and His relationship with God. But the truth is that instead of being a contradiction, these words are actually a wonderful blessing for all of us!
Understand that when Jesus said those words, it was the exact moment He took all our sins upon Himself. And because God will have nothing to do with sin, Jesus was separated from His Heavenly Father. It's a picture of God having to turn away when His Son took that awful punishment of absorbing all of our sins. So Jesus cried out because he was separated from His Father for the only time in all eternity.
Here is what is so wonderful about Christ doing this. What do we do when we face tragedy, disappointments, and rejection in our lives? Our tendency is to cry out to God, "Why? Why have You allowed this?" It's so encouraging to realize that the God of the universe understands when we ask Him why? He knows the pain. He knows what it's like to say, "Why Lord? Why?"
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6 Comments
When tempted to ask Why ask Why not instead. Suffering is part of growth with God. The best example of suffering besides Christ himself is Job. When you are tempted to ask why read at least some of the book of Job. - jag
jag, I don't know if you have had overwhelming suffering in your life or not. Perhaps you have a stronger faith than me. But, I do know that their have been times in my life when I cried from the bottom of my soul to God; "why is this happening". I know that God says that he will never leave me or forsake me. I believe this with all my heart, but the pain is also very real. To know that Jesus suffered the ultimate pain, as described in today's devotional, assures me that He knows what I am going through and is with me. Sometimes that's all one has to hold on to. - Grant
I feel myself to be in the why mode right now over a friend's illness that has not gotten better over time. I just don't understand it. But I do find some comfort in knowing that the Lord has some reason for allowing the suffering. I may never know the reason but I have to accept that it is for some good reason. All I have to do is look at the suffering Jesus did on the cross and the reason behind it and know that God knows best. Job is certainly another good example as referenced by jag. Job shows us faithfulness through the suffering. Job shows us how friends are to act or not to act as a friend suffers. I wish I could make things all better for my friend and I would in a second if I could but God is sovereign in this situation and I must rest in the fact that He has His reasons and He knows better than I. - Janice
It is human to ask God "Why", when Christ asked that question, he was in his "Hypo-Static state of being". What this is, is he was man and God at the same time. He understood why this was happening but he also was separated from the Father as the devotion said. This separation cause him great anguish. I was electrocuted in 1995, I was hit by almost 20,000 volts of electricity. I lost 30% of my left shoulder, I have extensive nerve damage in both of my lower legs and I had extreme damage to both feet. Yes I asked God "Why" so he showed me. I had seven different positions in the Church where I was attending at the time but I was not faithful to either one of them, I was "Great" at going thru the motions and looking like I was really getting a work done for the Lord. If I was being paid to do the positions I would have deserved to have been fired and made to repay double back because I was so lazy in my duties. When I was made to realize this, I asked God "Why" again, but the rest of the question consisted of the words "didn't you kill me for being that awful." But God had other work for me to do, after I recouperated a couple years he placed me in a Pastoral position and today I pray everyday that I will be pleasing unto him. Yes I make mistakes but isn't it wonderful that he forgives and loves us. God Bless everyone and have a good day. - Jerry
Great story Jerry. He is the potter and we are the clay. To paraphrase Jesus, the clay doesn't ask the potter what he's doing or why. God bless. - Grant
Thanks Jerry for sharing that. I am always impressed by how humble a person you are & so appeciate your sensible down to earth comments. I do my best when I'm going through hardship that instead of asking why me, I ask why not me. We tend to always think it should be the other person, but I'm no better than they are so why shouldn't it be me? It's not till after the fact that I learn that I have much more compassion for others in those situations and it certainly tends to keep you from making such a mountain out of a molehill :-) - christ follower