out of the ordinary | the mouth

God frequently works through the ordinary. Through them he shares something of his love for us and reveals elements of his redemption plan. In this devotional series we look at some of the ordinary things Jesus would have encountered as he journeyed towards the cross. Today, we're considering Jesus' mouth and the words he spoke on the cross. Holy Spirit, will you reveal something extraordinary through them. Amen.

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Matthew 27:46, NLT

Being human means we will experience disappointment and frustration, and face things that cause us to be angry and afraid. It's OK at those times to ask God what he’s doing. But it’s imperative we don’t let the questions we have derail us. The proof of that is in the biggest question any man has ever asked God; the one Jesus asks as he hangs on the cross, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”

Now on the face of it, Jesus is simply crying out in agony to God. But he’s doing much more than that. You see, his cry is the opening line of Psalm 22, a Messianic prophesy. The Jews in the crowd would have known that Psalm by heart and their habit would have been to speak out the first phrase of a passage of Scripture to bring it all to remembrance. Consequently, they would have recited the entire Psalm.

In the middle of the trauma, blood and pain the onlookers probably would have gone through the motions and wouldn't have experienced hope, or joy, or peace. But in three days’ time, things will start to make more sense. Because the second half of the passage is triumphant. Verse 24 says about God: For he has not despised nor detested the suffering of the afflicted; Nor has he hidden his face from him; But when he cried to him for help, he listened. And the final verse - verse 31 - says: They will come and declare his righteousness to a people yet to be born- that he has done it [and that it is finished].

At Golgotha, in the middle of the suffering, it feels like God is absent. At the end of the resurrection, at the beginning of victory, it’s absolutely evident he was right in the middle of everything that happened.

Let's pray
Thank you, Father, that there is never a point at which you abandon us. Never a thing we experience, a time when a cry goes up from us to you when you don’t hear it and to which you don’t respond. Thank you for the cross, Jesus, my Saviour and friend. I worship you. Amen.