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by Gary Sims
10/07/03
Not For Sale
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The Psalms
Psalm 22:1-15 – Forsaken
Key Verses: (NRSV)

1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” – These are famous words not only because they were spoken by Christ on the cross but because they have been spoken by mankind throughout history.
2: “O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but find no rest.” – Like Job, David unceasingly seeks God.
3-5: “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel... In you they trusted and were not put to shame.” – David, in midst of his apparent isolation, reminds himself of what God has been to the people of Israel.
6-7: “But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people. All who see me mock at me…” – Lamenting that his suffering has caused separation from everyone, David cries out that he feels that his life is without worth.
8: “Commit your cause to the Lord; let Him deliver…” – You can almost hear the satire in David’s voice as he sarcastically repeats advice that he has been given. Like Job, he would love to present his case to the Lord, if he could only find him.
10: “On you I was cast from my birth.” – God’s love for us reaches back before we were born and beyond our lives into eternity.
11: “Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.” – David recognizes that there are times in life when only God can provide the comfort and support to carry us on.
15: “My mouth is dried up like a potsherd…you lay me in the dust of death.” – Just as Christ cried out that he was thirsty, David longs for a drink from the living waters of God’s love.

Points to Contemplate:

Have you ever cried out to God, “why have you forsaken me?” Have there been times when you have felt such an emptiness that it seems you are being swallowed by a void? Since David, “a man after God’s on heart,” and Jesus, God’s only son, both uttered these words, does this help you to realize that you are not alone in your suffering? That you are never far from God’s loving embrace; it only just feels that way?

Why? Why would God separate himself from us, especially during times of crisis or pain? Is the feeling of separation caused by God or is it self-made? Do these painful experiences cause us to become so self-absorbed that we are unable to focus beyond them in order to hear God? Do we need to look beyond our current situation and ask God to help us to see His longer view? Does His promise from Jeremiah 29:11 “to give you a future with hope” provide you with the shard of truth that you need to carry you through any situation?
Can you “commit your cause to the Lord?” Is that the easy part? Can you also “let Him rescue the one in whom He delights?” Is this the part where your patience is tested? Does the immediacy of your deliverance become paramount? Can you learn to wait on the Lord? Can you learn to trust in His loving kindness? Do you have faith?
Do you thirst for the living waters? Has God created in you a desire to know Him and to be close to Him? Are there times when you crave to have this desire quenched? Has His Word become a life-giving sustenance for you? Does it nourish and quench your thirst? Do you find that the more that you turn to Him the more you desire to know Him?

Promise of the Gospel:

We are not alone in our suffering. David, Job, and even Jesus, went through times when they felt forsaken and alone. Our earthly existence is only a narrow perspective of God’s eternal plan. When we cry out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” we are looking for quick answers and seeking immediate solutions. God has not forsaken us but, instead, is waiting for the entirety of His plan to unfold. Our suffering is not an isolated event but part of a greater picture. The foundation of our faith is in the knowledge that He has loved us for all time and will continue to love us throughout eternity.

FUMC Devotionals

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