"Forsaken, Yet Not Forgotten"

🌿 Devotional: "Forsaken, Yet Not Forgotten"

Reflecting on Psalm 22:1

Scripture:

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?”

—Psalm 22:1 (NIV)

💔 Devotion:

The opening cry of Psalm 22 echoes with raw vulnerability—“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” This lament, penned by David, foreshadows a moment of divine agony centuries later—when Jesus Christ hung upon the cross and uttered these very words.

It is a verse that resonates in the deepest corners of human experience: the sense of abandonment, the silence of God in suffering, the ache of prayers that seem to go unanswered. Yet, within this cry lies both mystery and majesty.

When Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1 from the cross (Mark 15:34), He was not merely voicing despair. He was stepping into the full weight of human suffering and the justice of divine wrath—not for His sin, but for ours. In that moment, He bore the abandonment that we deserved, so that we might never be truly forsaken. This verse teaches us that even feeling forsaken is not the end of the story.

David’s psalm, though it begins with lament, ends in praise. Jesus’ death, though it descended into the grave, gave way to resurrection. And our sorrow, though it may endure for a night, will always meet the morning with joy (Psalm 30:5).

God may seem silent, but He is never absent. His purposes are often hidden in the shadows, but His love remains steadfast in every season.

When you feel forgotten, remember the One who was forsaken in your place—so that you could be forever found.

🙏🏾 Prayer:

Lord, when I cry out and hear no reply, help me to remember that even in silence, You are near. Thank You, Jesus, for taking on abandonment so that I could be embraced. Give me the faith to trust You when I don’t understand, and the courage to worship You in the waiting. Amen.

📜 Paired Poem:

“Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani”

(See poem above)