40 Days of Prayer, Day 38
Day 38, Tuesday, September 27
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest. Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. In You our fathers trusted; They trusted and You delivered them. To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed. Psalm 22:1-5
Christ, Broken for Us
On the cross, the opening verse of this psalm became the expressed agony of Christ. “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” Jesus quotation of this psalm fits the emotions behind the greatest theological moment in history. In our zeal to know the theology of the God we must also feel the theology of God. The Bible tells us that Jesus quoted this psalm in the midst of God’s greatest act of deliverance for hurting people. God, in Christ, rescued us through the cross. He rescued us by having His Son bear the weight of all of our sin and shame. He saved us from the ultimate despair of death and eternal judgment. His rescue of the brokenhearted came at incredible personal cost. The Old Testament foretold His rescue plan. “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” Isaiah 53:6 In the New Testament, from the beginning of the ministry of Christ, God declared this rescue plan for broken people. In God’s message to Mary’s husband Joseph we hear of God’s plan of salvation. “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21 We hear it in the announcement of Christ’s birth to the shepherds. “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11 We hear of God’s rescue plan from Christ Himself. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 We hear it in the New Testament writers, looking back on the life, death and resurrection of Christ, as they describe the rescue plan of Christ. “He became a curse for us.” Galatians 3:13. “He became sin who knew no sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” II Corinthians 5:21 “God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.” Romans 3:25 “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” I John 4:10
Just as the psalmist found hope in the midst of despair, how much more is there hope for hurting people today. The psalmist considered God’s rescue of Israel which came during the nation’s time of need. In the midst of his cry for help, the knowledge of God’s work in liberating Israel provided great comfort. Now, as believers in Christ, we too see God’s rescue plan. Only now we see the fullness of the God who saves. He sent His Son into the world to bear the sin, shame and heartbreak of His people. God, in Christ, reconciled us to Himself forever through the suffering of His Son. For those who suffer, the pain is real, just as the suffering of Christ for our sakes was real. The rescue plan of God does not eliminate the momentary trials of this life. Just as this psalmist, with full knowledge of God’s history of rescue for Israel, still cried out to God for help. We too, just as this psalmist, can cry out to God in our trials. For just as the psalmist we cry out with the knowledge of God’s saving work for Israel as a nation. However, we also cry out with the knowledge of God’s even greater rescue, His eternal salvation for sinners. With that knowledge, let us also say to God even in the midst of our suffering, “Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of” Your people.”
Prayer Focus
O Lord, You have saved us with an everlasting love in Christ Jesus. I confess my need for You. You alone provided a way to eternal life. I confess that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Lord of my life. I trust You through Him with my eternal salvation. Now, O Lord, help me to trust You in my daily trials. You have defeated sin and death in the resurrection of Your Son. There is nothing too big for You. My hope is in You. Please hear my prayers, for You are the Holy One. Amen.
From Bunyan’s The Acceptable Sacrifice
A broken heart is in the sight of God an excellent thing; because a broken heart is submissive; it falls before God, and gives to glory to him. Hence such a heart is called an honest heart, a good heart, a perfect heart, a heart fearing God, and such as is sound in God's statutes. Now, this cannot but be an excellent thing, if we consider, that by such a heart, unfeigned obedience is yielded unto him that calls for it. 'You have obeyed from the heart, ' says Paul to them at Rome, 'that form of doctrine which was delivered you' (Rom 6:17). Alas! the heart, before it is broken and made contrite, is quite of another temper: 'It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.' The great stir before the heart is broken, is about who will be Lord, God or the sinner. True, the right of dominion is the Lord's; but the sinner will not permit it, but will be all himself; saying 'Who is Lord over us?' and again, they say to God, 'We are lords, we will come no more to you.' (Psa 12:4; Jer 2:31)