Written by Nate Fortin
Matthew 27:45-46
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”
By the time we reach this moment in Matthew’s Gospel, everything has gone wrong, at least from a human perspective. Jesus has been betrayed, falsely accused, and condemned. He hangs on a cross between two criminals, counted among the guilty. One mocks Him. The other admits his guilt and asks to be remembered. Their responses feel familiar because they reflect the same choice every one of us faces.
At midday, when the sun should be brightest, darkness covers the land for three hours. Creation bears witness that something of eternal significance is unfolding.
Then Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He is quoting Psalm 22. This is not a cry of despair without meaning. It is deliberate. The psalm describes crucifixion centuries before it happened. By speaking these words, Jesus points to the bigger story. This is not an accident. This is the plan. He is the promised Messiah, fulfilling Scripture and carrying out God’s rescue mission for us.
On the cross, Jesus bears the full weight of our sin. In a mystery we cannot fully explain, the Son experiences the loss of the Father’s comforting presence as He stands in our place under judgment. The Holy One steps into the darkness we deserve so that we can stand in the light of God’s presence.
I have walked through seasons that felt like darkness, times of unanswered questions, including the loss of two infant children. In those moments, I ran up against the limits of my understanding. Like Job, I was forced to wrestle with the reality that God’s ways are bigger than mine. But the cross anchors my trust. It reminds me that God is not distant from suffering. In Christ, He entered into it fully. He knows the pain, the grief, even the feeling of abandonment.
Because Jesus was forsaken for us, we are never abandoned.
His obedience restored our relationship with God. Even in His suffering, Jesus trusted the Father, ultimately saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Because He trusted the Father in the darkest moment imaginable, we can trust Him in ours.
The cross reveals a God who is both sovereign and near, holy and full of grace. That grace gives a peace that does not depend on having every answer. It rests in this truth. We are fully known, fully loved, and held by a Savior who was forsaken so we never will be.
Prayer Prompts:
Thank Jesus for taking your place on the cross and bringing you into God’s presence so you can live with the assurance that He is always near.
Ask God to strengthen your trust when you face unanswered questions, helping you rest in His sovereignty and grace.
