“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is probably one of the most painful things Christ says from the cross. We often summarize the Christian faith as “Christ died for my sins” or “Christ took my sins upon the cross”. While that is easy for us to say, the reality is that Christ went through extreme pain for that to happen. Even though the cross is a cruel way to be executed, Christ is not only suffering physical pain, he is suffering spiritual pain. He is suffering pain from carrying the sins of the whole world and it is from that pain that Jesus cries out these words.

 

The gospel begins with knowing you sins. Our sins lead to judgment from God and our sins separates us from the presence of God. Scripture says both of these are true. We sin meaning that God judges our sins. But because of our sins, we are separated from God. Away from God presence we suffer from pain and grief, hopelessness and we give into despair. That is what Christ carries on the cross. He carries the wrath of God against our sins. And he carries the effect of sins, all that separates us from God, so that we don’t have to be separate from God anymore. Because of the cross and Jesus who carries our sins, who carries that separation for us, we can now carry the Holy Spirit.

 

As believers no matter where we go in life and what life throws at us, we can have hope that nothing can separate us from God.  

 

Further study: Mark 15.33-34