Posted on April 10, 2022 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
Tell Me Why: Why have you forsaken me?
By Chris Woodward
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” -Mark 15:34
For many, we look at this holy week as a week of pain, suffering, expectation, and excitement because we see the end of the path. The life of Jesus, being the way redemption entered the world at the most broken moment of time. The whys of the week come to mind. Why is he alone? Why can’t his buddies stay awake? Why would he do all of this for everyone? Why would God, his own father, forsake him?
Jesus at this point is the very definition of forsaken – alone, in pain and separated from his father for the first time. Can you remember a moment when you felt alone in struggles, thoughts, physical pain, emotional pain, depression, or anxiety? The diagnosis comes through, the house goes into foreclosure, she or he walks out for the last time. Some of us find ourselves standing at a grave of a loved one and there is no longer that comforting voice or tender touch, to soothe our souls. Some of us lay in a hospital bed with only the beeping of the monitor to keep time. For some of us we are stuck there in that moment, our mouth is dry and crusted, our heart sinks lower and lower, we lack focus, vision and clarity and in that moment, we lose ourselves to the pain.
We reach out for any comfort. Maybe it is a person to know the pain that we are in, a sip of water, or a shift in position to ease the ache in our body. Occasionally, we question the person closest to us, just as Jesus questions God. The person who has had all the answers to the questions. The one place where we have felt safe and secure.
Our identity slips and falls, we are alone and lost. For my understanding, this is the first time that Jesus has felt that separation and is truly alone. He appears to press into his human nature and questions the moment, the plan, the objective and the motive.
For me, this alone feeling was when we laid my father to rest. He had been in a fight with cancer for seven years and he passed away at home with family. As we stood there at the grave, it was a moment where I felt separated from his wisdom, passion, and love. I, in this moment, felt alone even as I was surrounded by my family. That consistent presence that was always there, never missing a play, game, speech, or moment was no longer accessible to me. At that point, my why turned into, "What now?"
As we walk though this week in Hebrews 11, by faith is the "what now" in our life. We live by faith, faith that the work on the cross allows us to never truly feel alone, to never be separated from the love of Jesus and of God, our father.
Observe, Reflect, Apply: What are your thoughts, or your reactions to Jesus cry to God? Have you ever felt alone, forgotten, abandoned? What did you ask, and who did you cry out to? We know the rest of the story…but I imagine in this moment, Jesus felt completely abandoned, and overwhelmed with all the feelings at God’s seeming silence. As you consider this moment and the incredible sacrifice Jesus’ journey to the cross and ultimate resurrection are for us, what is one thing you can express thanks for throughout the week ahead?
{bible reading plan: book of hebrews}
For the next few months, we invite you to engage the Bible differently along with us. Each week we will be reading a book from Hebrews 4 times, in 4 ways, as directed below. Instead of daily verses, you are free to engage in the practice outlined below as a "choose your adventure". You might do this all in one sitting, or choose to do an exercise a day. We’d love to hear your feedback, just drop an email to Lisa Zulke.
For an overview of Hebrews, watch this 8 minute video from our friends at The Bible Project.
Read the passage slowly, sitting with it and allowing it to frame and fill your mind. Listen for a single word or phrase that catches your attention. Something you want to ponder further or hold on to.
What word or phrase caught your attention?
"I heard _____________________________________________"
The second time you read the passage, reflect on what you have heard. Use your imagination to put yourself in the story, in the context of this letter to the Hebrew people. What do you THINK or NOTICE? What do you SEE? What do you FEEL? What do you LEARN about Jesus? What QUESTIONS are you pondering about Jesus in this reading? Engaging our senses invites curiosity about what we have read.
"I saw, I felt, I noticed _____________________________________"
The third time you read the passage, listen specifically for a personal invitation. What am I being invited to consider? What am I being invited to do or try? Sit quietly and listen. Pray, asking God for insight into what he wants to share with you.
"I believe Jesus is inviting me to ___________________________"
After the fourth reading, respond to Hebrews 11. Read it again, and noodle on what you’ve experienced and taken note of so far. What are you sensing or hearing from Jesus or about Jesus? Pray, inviting Jesus to nudge you in a decision: what am I going to do with what I’ve heard? How will I act on it? How might I integrate it into my daily life?
"I will __________________________________________________"
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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