REACHING OUT

Mark 15:33-39 (NRSV)

When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"

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The psalmist wrote, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?"
- Psalm 22:1 (NRSV)
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TODAY was not a good day. I have not had many good days recently. I suffer with a crippling, incurable disease and am learning to live with constant physical pain. Emotionally, however, I have not succumbed until today. Each time I tried to do a simple chore, the pain became more than I could manage; and I became more depressed.

I decided to read The Upper Room. The texts for the day's meditation were Psalm 22:1 and Mark 15:33-39. The writer told about a time of emotional upheaval and about feeling forsaken. His words reached out to me long after they had been written. The feeling of being forsaken was haunting me as I read, and the words seemed to have been written for me and for my needs. This is the way the Holy Spirit uses our words. They become the right words at a time of need in another person's life.

This verse quoted above became Jesus' prayer from the cross; its words were right for me, too. By Christ's example, we know that the period of being forsaken is brief, and unspeakable joy is for eternity. Christ is our example in every aspect of our humanity, even when we feel forsaken.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your sacrifice in Jesus Christ. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Christ understands everything we feel.

-- Emma Clarke (Tennessee, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Those living with chronic pain