Love-shedding by Deon Crafford

Matt 27:46 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?”

My favourite place in the whole wide world is the Karoo. There are few experiences as sensory-cleansing as being in the Karoo in the middle of the day or night. This type of isolation is voluntary and healing. In fact it allows one to really draw close to God. But when isolation is not voluntary and occurs because one has been starved of love, it can cut very deep and cause unbearable emotional pain. When Jesus cried out to the Father about being forsaken – stripped of love – it reflects this deep anguish in very vivid terms. But what we know is that we will never cry His cry. We will never be forsaken, because He took that loveless position on Himself. As Psalm 139 says, there is not a place we can go where God will not be. That is the message to all those that may from time to time suffer the pangs of isolation or feeling unloved. None of us will ever be anywhere, where the grace of God does not surround us in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Even if you try to be separated from Him, you will constantly fail. He’s got you.

Love to all

DC