Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani?

Today’s Bible Reading:  Deuteronomy 7-9, Mark 15

Topic: Trust in God

SCRIPTURE:  Mark 15:33-34

³³ At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴ And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:33-34 NIV)

   

OBSERVATION:

Jesus fully trusted and was completely obedient to His Father, even to His darkest hour when it seemed He was forsaken.

APPLICATION:

There are times, even in a Christian’s life, when our God seems to be cut off; when it may seem He has forsaken us. If Jesus went through this, what makes me think I won’t. The encouraging thing for me, however, is that since Jesus experienced this, I know I can stand firm in my trust and obedience to God NO MATTER WHAT. He is my strength even when I can’t perceive it.

In C.S. Lewis’ classic book The Screwtape Letters the Senior Demon, Screwtape writes to his up-and-coming nephew, a Junior Tempter named Wormwood about how this very resolve in humans thwarts their intentions for evil:

“Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy’s (God’s) will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him (God) seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.”

C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

PRAYER:

My God, may my trust in You never waver. May I be obedient to You even when I do not understand; even unto death. Through Christ. Amen.  -AP