God-Forsaken

God-Forsaken

By Amanda Worthen

“Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?…If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me.” Psalm 139:7; 9-10

When we use the term, “God-forsaken,” we are usually referring to some deserted, barren, hole-in-the-ground place that is not fit for humans to live. We don’t literally mean “God-forsaken,” because we know that God is everywhere. The only time that term has been true of a person was at the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only truly God-forsaken person in all of history. Jesus didn’t just feel forsaken; He was forsaken.

Have you ever felt abandoned by God? Have you felt forsaken by Him because of the circumstances of your life? I would never minimize the pain that so many people are in…but I can tell you for sure that God has never and will never forsake you. He is the one keeping your heart beating right this very moment. He sustains your lungs and the air that they breathe. He is the sustainer of your life. This truth is what makes Jesus’ words on the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” so powerful.

Because of our sin, Jesus experienced total separation, complete isolation, and resolute condemnation from God. But because of His suffering, we do not have to ever experience that agony. Because of Jesus, “…nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). Because of Jesus, “Never will I leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Because of Jesus, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Jesus was forsaken so that we might be forgiven. He died for our sin that we might die to our sin and not in our sin. This is the good news of the Gospel.