Goodness of Forgiveness

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). Matthew 27:46 NIV

As Jesus took on the sins of the world, The Lord turned his face away not able to bear watching his only son in such agony. As we have been adopted into God's holy family, how many times have we cried out wondering why God has forsaken us? When all the while, we have taken on such sin that it pained our Father to see us in that kind of agony. We haven't been abandoned by The Lord, not ever. But we HAVE all walked through seasons where we put ourselves in such sin and shame without asking for Gods aid and forgiveness, that it feels like God has forsaken us. He must allow the consequences of our actions in order to fulfill the law... It doesn't mean he wants us to hurt. It doesn't mean his love is far from us.

Just as a parent watches a child stumble and make mistakes in order to learn how to be responsible and independent adult, so the Father watches us trip along in our lives in order to become fully-developed followers of Christ. He comes to our aide when we invite him, and lets us take on sin when we choose it.

Today is Good Friday. Lets try to remember the goodness of God's sacrifice and how he allowed his only son to die a brutal and gruesome death so that we might be free of the penalty of sin.

Thank you, Lord for loving me. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to the cross to take my place for all the sin I'd choose. You loved me when I didn't yet know you. Help me to stay grateful for the cross and for the life you make available to me.

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ." Ephesians 1:4-10 NIV