Fourth Utterance from the Cross: Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?

 DAY 2, EVENING

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

(Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34)

The fourth cry from Jesus on the cross is the most mysterious, perhaps the saddest and certainly the most haunting. It is the first time in the Gospels that Jesus addresses His Father as “My God.” It is the only moment in His earthly life when He speaks from a place of separation rather than communion. It is a cry that reaches back to Psalm 22 and stretches forward to every believer who has ever felt abandoned or alone.

⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

These words do not come from confusion. They point to a promise of the Father’s plan, given more than a thousand years beforehand. He had predicted it many times. He told Nicodemus that the Son of Man must be lifted up. He defined His mission as to give His life as a ransom for many. He taught that the Good Shepherd must lay down His life for the sheep. Yet, in this moment, He experienced the full weight of what that meant.

Sin separates, isolates, and saddens us because it breaks fellowship between us and the God who loves us. On the cross, Jesus bore the sin of the world. He carried the guilt that was not His own. He entered into the darkness that belonged to us. In doing so, He experienced the separation that sin creates. He felt the distance that we deserved. He endured the forsakenness that should have fallen on us.

Jesus understands your sorrow. Think of the times you have felt abandoned. There are seasons when God seems silent. There are nights when prayer barely rises above our tears, let alone above the ceiling. Jesus entered that experience. He didn’t pretend that suffering is easy. His anguish was not hidden. He cried out to the Father in His pain.

In His cry, there was faith. He said, “My God.” He did not turn away. He did not reject the Father. He clung to the relationship even when He could not feel the comfort of it. This was no doubtful cry. It was a cry from a Son yearning for a Father in the darkest hour.

Faith is not the absence of questions. Faith holds on to God even when answers are fleeting. Faith trusts the Father in painful paths, and He seems so far away.

Jesus felt forsaken but He wasn’t. Neither are we. His separation brought us fellowship with His Father. He cried out in darkness so that we could walk in the light. Because He was forsaken, we can be confident that God will never leave us nor forsake us.

Pray this prayer to God: Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus entered into the darkness of separation so that I would never have to. When I feel alone, remind me that Christ understands my sorrow. Strengthen my faith to trust You even when I cannot see the way forward. Help me to rest in the promise that You will never forsake Your children. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

 

Third Utterance from the Cross: Woman, behold your son ... Behold your mother.

 

DAY 2, MORNING

“Woman, behold your son… Behold your mother.”

(John 19:26–27)

The third utterance from the cross is a word of care. It is spoken quietly, almost gently, in the midst of the most violent scene in human history. While the world raged around Him, Jesus turned His attention to His mother and to the disciple whom He loved. In that moment, He revealed the depth of His compassion and the importance of relationships within the family of God.

²⁶ When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” ²⁷ Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

As Christ hung on the cross, He did not forget the people whom He loved. He remembered the needs of His earthly family. Mary carried Him, raised Him, and treasured the promises spoken about Him. As she watched her Son suffer, Jesus saw her grief and entrusted her to John.

This teaches us that love is not only expressed in great acts of sacrifice, but also in the quiet responsibilities of daily life. Jesus was fulfilling the greatest mission the world has ever known, yet He still honored His mother. He still cared for her needs. He still provided for her future.

This caring word from the cross reminds us that the family of God is not limited to biological ties. Jesus formed a new spiritual family at the foot of the cross. Mary would find comfort in John. John would find purpose in caring for her. Their relationship would be shaped not by blood, but by the love of Christ. In the same way, believers today are called to care for one another. We are called to bear one another’s burdens, to support one another in times of sorrow, and to walk together in faith.

In the humanity of Jesus, we see He felt the weight of His mother’s sorrow. He understood the pain of separation. He knew the cost of obedience. He entrusted His mother to the care to John because He knew His earthly work was done. His earthly love did not keep Him from fulfilling His mission. But His mission did not eclipse His love.

Christlike love is attentive, compassionate, and responsible. It sees the needs of others even in moments of personal suffering. Love, Christ’s love, builds relationships that honor the heavenly Father. The love of Jesus creates a fellowship of comfort where there was once only grief.

Pray this prayer to God: Lord Jesus, thank You for showing compassion even in Your suffering. Teach me to care for the people You have placed in my life. Help me to honor my relationships and to build a community of love within Your family. Give me a heart that sees the needs of others and responds with grace. Amen.