Many Christians have a hard time understanding why on the cross Christ cried out, “My God, my God, 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 pain and He knows what it’s like to ask, “Why Lord? Why?”
