NEVER FORSAKEN
By Carolyn Dale Newell
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
saying…”My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Mark 15:34 (NKJV)
One of the greatest comforts I know is that God never leaves me, nor forsakes me (Heb. 13:5). He has been right there by my side as I have gone through many difficulties, and He will be with me to the end. Christians have the peace of knowing that God will be with us when we die. Even though there may be pain, He will comfort us and our loved ones when they leave this world to enter heaven.
As Jesus hung on the cross, He did not feel the comfort that God will give believers at death. He received God’s wrath and punishment without His grace. He received exactly what we deserve, and He bore the weight of our sin. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5:21).
After God’s wrath had been unleashed on Christ, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” This is the only time that Christ did not refer to God as His Father. God had forsaken Him, and He was not comforting Him. Could this be a picture of what hell is like? Those who never repent and remain unsaved will receive eternal punishment from God without His comfort and grace.
As we consider death, let us be comforted by the fact that we will not have to face it alone. God will comfort His children and give us the grace that He always gives us through everything that we endure on this earth. We should also lift up thanksgiving to Christ for taking our judgment. Truly the songwriter got it right – “O what a Savior”!
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for never forsaking us. Thank You for comforting us and giving us grace no matter what trial we are facing. Amen.
DIG DEEPER
Read Mark 15:33-41.
HIKING THE TRAIL
Whatever you are going through today, take comfort in knowing that you are not alone. God will never leave you, nor forsake you, even in death.
Copyright 2014 Carolyn Dale Newell.
A Mountain of Faith 