Forsaken for Our Sake

Psalms 22:1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?

King David penned the words our Savior would repeat, while suffering unimaginable pain, and making the ultimate sacrifice for you, me, and the entire world. Let that sink in for a moment. The Perfect Son of God, God Himself, in the flesh, hanging on the Cross, and for the first time ever, being forsaken by the Father for our sake. Do we ever just stop and ponder that fact? Do we only seriously consider this tremendous act of love once a year, during Crucifixion Friday, or Resurrection Sunday? Maybe we remember it in passing, during the Lord's Supper; because we do it so often that it just becomes another Christian ritual. Well, the Lord's suffering was real. No one else has ever suffered, as He did, for those who would later reject Him, and spit on His sacrifice. Yes, spit on it, and trample it. That is exactly what we do when we return to our old ways. That is what we do when we choose to live life in a manner we think best, and ignore how we should be living for God's glory. Today, I would like us to consider how we are living for the One who sacrificed Himself for us. Are we taking up our cross daily and following Him? Are we crucifying our flesh, and its sinful desires, in order to be doers of God's Word, and not just hearers? Are we laying our lives on the altar, to be living sacrifices unto the Lord; dead to the world, but alive in Christ, and serving Him sacrificially? Note that I did not just say "serving Him"; I said "sacrificially". In other words, have we been willing to get out of our comfort zones? Have we been willing to sacrifice time, and resources, in order to serve Him and others, and not give Him our leftovers? If not, why would we give Him anything less than our best, when He gave us His best, and more than we deserve? I will leave you with these words from Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).