Why have You forsaken me?

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?" (Psalm 22:1, NKJV)

Have you ever felt forsaken by God and alone? Well you are not alone in that thought. In the 22nd Psalm David continues for the next twenty verses pouring out his heart as he feels abandoned by God.

There are times when everything has gone wrong and it seems like God is no longer interested in your well being. This Psalm was quoted fifteen times in the New Testament in reference to Christ’s treatment. In his humanity Jesus cried out “My God My God why have you abandoned me?” (Matt 27:46).

Sometimes we rightly feel abandoned due to the direct consequences of our sin. Other times we may feel abandoned because we live in a cursed earth and are affected indirectly by the circumstances of sin. In either case the solution is to look to God for deliverance.

In verse 22 David declares the answer to his dilemma, "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You." (Psalm 22:22, NKJV)
Praise is an essential part of prayer to God because it allows us to see the circumstances and the consequences in this life in direct relationship to a good and gracious God who is always in control.

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God." (Psalm 42:11, NKJV)

Join us Wednesday evening for our prayer time at LABC and praise God with our community of faith. We will be continuing in our series Growing in Grace. The focus this week is on the elements of prayer.