God does not turn His back on
people, but He is disgusted by our reprobate behavior. Even when He hates the
behavior of people like Esau, and those who practice a lifestyle of pride,
lies, shedding innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, constant
mischief, and sowing discord in His Body (Romans 9:13; Proverbs 6:16-19), He
still blesses the person.
When Jesus hung on Calvary's
cross, bearing the sins of the whole world - past, present and future - God
could not look at the sin in Him (Psalm 22:1, 15). Jesus experienced
what unbelievers will experience during their eternity separated from God (John
3:18).
God did not
reject Jesus. He merely rejected the sins of the whole world, which Jesus
carried in Him to the cross. Jesus felt forsaken (Matthew 27:45-46), because He
was not rescued from these horrific circumstances of persecution, crucifixion
and death.
The Father walked with Jesus during the things which He suffered while He learned obedience (Hebrews 5:8) throughout His
33 years as a human being. Therefore, His suffering on Calvary's cross as a human felt like
abandonment.
Yet, He was delivered three days
later, when the dynamite power to resurrect Himself coursed through His body
(John 10:18). Also, God allowed the suffering of Jesus' crucifixion to end
sooner than they normally do. He set Jesus' soul and spirit free from His earthly
body in record breaking time (Psalm 22:24).
Jesus only went to the cross out
of obedience to our Father in order to offer mankind a way of salvation
(Matthew 26:39; Ephesians 5:2; Isaiah 53:9; Philippians 2:8; Acts 2:23). The
Trinity is three persons, yet one being with three purposes (John 10:30, 14:9).
When Jesus suffered, God and the Spirit felt His pain as well.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for coming
as our pure, spotless, sacrificial Lamb in the human form as Jesus. This
freely-given sacrifice allows us to live with You for eternity and to enjoy the
presence of Your Spirit within us, which comforts us through every trial and
persecution we experience during our lifetime.
We honor the name of Jesus for
paying the sin debt of everyone in the whole world - past, present and future -
our self included. We can never express enough sorrow for our part in nailing
Him to the cross. You did not reject Jesus on the cross and You never reject us
either. Only our sin and unbelief separate us from Your love and provision for
each moment of our day (John 3:18).
Thought for the Day:
Jesus freed us from eternal death
by giving us His eternal Life through His crucifixion and death on Calvary's
tree.
