The Greatest Cry of Distress

 I know we all go through times of distress. Some of those times are so severe that we cry out in pain and anguish. This happens when we are suffering from a terrible disease or accident. Sometimes, we feel that distress when we have family problems or other personal problems. It can get to the point that we hurt so badly we just don't know what we will do or how we can stand it any longer. One thing that should bring us some comfort in those dark times is that Jesus felt the same thing, so He knows how to bring us through and strengthen us. (Mark 15:34) As Jesus was hanging on the cross for our sins, the sun went dark for three hours beginning at noon. Then, at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?" That was the low point in His eternal existence, so He let out the greatest cry of distress ever heard. We must never forget the lessons we can learn from this cry.

Jesus has lived in perpetual fellowship with the Father and the Spirit, except for those 3 hours on the cross. During that time He was separated from the Father and the Spirit by all of our sins, the sins of everyone who has ever lived. This was necessary for our salvation. Jesus was the propitiation for our sins, which means the Father took out all of His anger against sin on Jesus for those hours. Isaiah 53:6 tells us that God laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Our sins separated  Jesus from the Father, so He hid His face from His Son. (Isaiah 59:2) Think of that. Jesus was tortured by being beaten within an inch of death, and then, He was nailed to the cross for additional pain. On top of that, He could not connect with His Father. Nothing could have ever been worse than that, but Jesus did that for us. Now, when we are in despair or suffering in agony, we have a Savior who can sympathize with us. He will not leave us, and He will give us hope, if we know Him as Lord and Savior of our life. Therefore, go ahead and cry out in distress, if you need to, knowing that Jesus is there to hear and to bring comfort.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Mark 16 and Luke 1-2.