ETERNAL SUFFERING

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? Psalm 13:1

Our flesh is weak. The Lord Jesus said so (Matt 26:41). There may be times in the Christian’s life when we feel God has forgotten us and hidden His face from us (Psa 13:1); or has not considered our plight or answered our prayer (Psa 13:3). As far as it applies to us, it only seems this way. It is not the reality if we have been saved by God’s grace. The Lord Jesus stands by us always (Matt 28:20), and promised never to leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5). The power in this verse for our encouragement and application, however, comes from its fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Lord Jesus suffered the wrath of God, forsaken of the heavenly Father, it was eternal and unbridle affliction. Jesus quoted the “Psalm of the Cross” (Psa 22) when He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46). Jesus, who knew unbroken fellowship with the Father, more intimately than any man could ever know (John 1:18), was forgotten by God, forsaken of God, and separated from God when He hung upon the cross. The omnipotent God was certainly there; however, God the Father removed His closeness, His bosom-ness, and His cherished intimacy from His beloved Son for our sakes, for the sake of the redeemed. Whenever we feel forgotten or forsaken, it is always a prompt from God to remember the God-Man, suffering in our stead, that we may forever be joined to Him in salvation. Truly, when placed alongside the sufferings of our Master, ours are but light afflictions (2 Cor 4:17), even a vapor, which appears for a little while and then vanishes away (Jas 4:14).

“How long, oh Lord?” I cry, “How long?”
That’s how my suff’rings feel;
Yet, thoughts of You do make me strong;
Your cross makes true love real.

=======

Today's M'Cheyne Reading Schedule: 4/8 - Lev 11-12; Psa 13-14; Prov 26; 1 Thess 5

If you don’t have one, get a free PDF copy of Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s “Daily Bread” Bible Reading Calendar by Clicking Here.

=======