ABANDONED FOR OUR REDEMPTION

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. (Mark 15:33, 34, 37 NKJV)

This precious time of the Holy Week is significant for believers every where. It’s the time where we collectively remember what Christ did for us on the cross, as He bore the punishment we deserved but could not pay.

Every year during this joyous and holy season we reflect on all of the horrific things He endured on His way to the cross, the betrayal, the mocking, the torture, the nails, His death, His burial and his resurrection. We consider all of the things He endured for our sins and how each facet of the resurrection affects our salvation and living, but rarely do we ever discuss His abandonment.

In Christ’s sacrifice on the cross He suffered many things on our behalf. Yes we are healed by His stripes, yes we are covered by His blood, but we have also been redeemed through His abandonment. Through-ought His ministry on earth Christ was always connected to the Father; there was never a time where He did not have access to God's power or presence. However, while Jesus was still connected, we were still separated. Although we had the presence of Jesus the fact remained that since He had not yet fulfilled God's will for His life, mankind was still stained and separated from an intimate relationship with God. All of this changed on the Cross.

In this last hour right before He took His last breath Christ experienced something He never had before, and something we would never have to again; being separated from God. At this very moment in time a divine exchange was taking place on the cross that would forever change our lives; when God looked at Christ He saw the sins of humanity draped upon Him, as He exchanged His righteousness for our sin and shame. Christ willingly endured being separated from God by bearing our sins; while simultaneously making it possible for us to never again experience the ache of God's absence.

His abandonment secured our redemption.

Be Blessed