Matthew 27:45-49
45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”-which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

___
In this moment Jesus experienced a depth of grief that the Christian will never have to endure – the utter hopelessness of abandonment even by God. Darkness – as though the sun itself and all creation could not bear the sight of what was happening.  For the first time in all eternity the Son was separated from the Father, rejected by Him because of our sin.  Jesus, who always referred to God as “Father” became sin for us and can no longer use that term of affection and relationship.  As one abandoned and alone He can only cry out to the distant God. Continue reading →