FORSAKEN?

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sacbacthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'" - Matt 27:46


Jesus did not just cry out of anguish from the beating and weight of the cross, He cried more because He felt the One whom He needed at such a time did not pay attention, He would have wondered why God seemed silent to His plight.


We would at some point face difficult times of emotional and psychological trauma, we would prefer to find comfort and help in some friends and family, yet at those points it is possible to feel abandoned.


The feeling of being forsaken can be liken to a child whose father is alive yet does not care for the child. The child would wonder what he ever did, though he may have his needs met, but the thought of being abandoned and forgotten intentionally would linger in the mind of that child. Some fathers have travelled abroad and they have forsaken their family, their core responsibility in their homeland.


It could also be that you had high hopes from a person who made you a promise, you may have had high hopes from the relationship...but, the situation has left you forsaken; which is a combination of intentional abandonment and orchestrated forgetfulness.


A person who is forsaken has the tendency to be bitter, sorrowful, pessimistic and full of envy and jealousy.


We would by the grace of God see what God says about that person who feels forsaken.


THE PAIN OF BEING FORSAKEN
"for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica - Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalamatia." - 2Tim 4:10


We may have been forced to walked extremely lonely paths because the people who we set out together with have turned their back. Sometimes it is people of like faith or business partners.

Paul obviously felt bad with the turn of events, he lamented why these fellow disciples will forsake him; but for grace he would have been utterly disappointed and discouraged.


It is important for us to note today, that man has never been awesome at being there all the time, because of the several failings, weakness or shortcoming some people had forsaken us; even though it was not their intention.

It could at times look like an unrealistic expectation for us to so depend on men to always be there.


"persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed - " - 2Cor 4:9


The believer is often bewildered to ask where God is, at a time of persecution, the believer often will wonder when God will speak at the time of trials and hunger...the tempted will most times not see the way of escape; but we cannot mistaken our diverse trials and training as abandonment.


Same Paul who felt forsaken or even betrayed by some ministry friends, understood that his persecution at a time did not mean God has forsaken him. He knew that there would be a wilderness phase of his life to help brave up for the fierce and harsh conditions of the world.


Though it is normal to feel forsaken at times of trials and tribulations, but if we understand the situation differently, it will help us not to become bitter and resentful to those who departed us.


It is also a proven fact that though Jesus lamented that he was forsaken to the Father, He still pleaded forgiveness to those who were cruel instruments of His trial.

We will do well to take a cue from Jesus' experience and bless when we are persecuted and forsaken.


SUCCOUR TO THE FORSAKEN
"When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me." - Psalm 27:10


There is One who created you and knows your origin, there is One Person in the whole wide world who cares for us and loves us unconditionally, this One person is not your earthly lover or someone who has been your benefactor; God is the best and most assured companion and confidant of life.


Even if you have never been abandoned by a close friend, you also will do well to know that death can make such a person forsake you - as no one is death-proof (we'll all leave and abandon some people here at a time).


If you don't do well to recognise God's succour at this point  you will never enjoy the comfort He gives to those who are forsaken. If you don't see God's open arms at a time of distraught, we would just be living in a cloud of anger and frustration.


"For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you." - Isaiah 54:7


Even though we stray and make God angry with us, though we continually err in our walk with Him and grief His Holy Spirit, and we become separated from Him - yet all these are but for a while.


For that person who has left the habitation of God and have been betrayed by the men of the world, God's embrace of mercy will be worth more and soothing than all the days in the cold; if only you will come to Him.


Though you have even walked lonely paths lately and have been disappointed and betrayed, the Lord who owns you wants to embrace you in everlasting mercy.


"You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married." - Isaiah 62:4


Hey you who have suffered in the wilderness of life or maybe you have suffered for no fault of yours, the above promise is to sooth your soul.


FORSAKE YOUR OLD WAYS
"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." - 1Chron 7:14


You will remain forsaken if you do not forsake the sins that ensnares you, you will remain in the harsh cold weather if you remain adamant that you'll bring your baggage of sins into God's house. There can be no peace for the wicked.


Men will keep using you and the feeling of emptiness will never leave you, if you don't forsake the habits that has brought you to this state of despair. To be stubborn about it is to throw comfort and mercy out the door.


They've asked you several times and you've said you can't leave a sinful relationship that it is your life, if the guy deserts you...it may be hell, my friend it is time to forsake your old way and feel the embrace of the father.


CONCLUSION
"And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." - Deut 31:8


It is possible for you to feel forsaken or abandoned, God cannot forsake you - you feel so because He he training you and if it's not a training, then you must forsake your sins to feel not forsaken.


No longer will you be termed Forsaken.
God bless you and I love you
Akinsuroju Femi