JANUARY 30 - Forsaken but Not Forgotten
3-Year-Bible Reading: Psalms 22; Matthew 27
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“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?” — Psalm 22:1
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” — Matthew 27:46
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Ever felt abandoned by God? Maybe during a tough exam, a broken friendship, or when life just feels too heavy. You're not alone—literally. In Psalm 22, David cries out from a place of deep pain, and centuries later, Jesus echoes those same words from the cross in Matthew 27.
Jesus—the Son of God—knows what it's like to feel totally alone. But even in that moment of forsakenness, He was fulfilling a purpose bigger than the pain. And that's something we can hold onto too.
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THINK ABOUT IT
1. God Understands Your Pain: Jesus quoting Psalm 22 on the cross shows that He fully entered our human experience. Have you ever cried out like David or Jesus? Know that God isn’t offended by your honesty—He welcomes it.
2. It’s Okay to Ask “Why?”: Feeling confused or hurt doesn’t mean you’re weak in faith. Even Jesus asked why. The important thing is to bring those questions to God, not hide them.
3. Pain with a Purpose: The suffering in Matthew 27 wasn’t the end—it led to the resurrection. What hard thing might God be using in your life to shape you or bring hope to others?
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BOTTOM LINE
God may feel distant in your hardest moments, but He is never absent. Jesus knows your pain and promises that you are never alone.
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PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for understanding what it feels like to be alone and in pain. When life gets hard and I don’t understand what You’re doing, help me remember that You never leave me. Teach me to trust You even in the silence. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
