Mark 14:1-15:47 (NRSV)
Devotion
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me (Mark 15:34)? I have always found Jesus' last words disturbing and haunting. Was it a lapse in faith at the end? Was there some theological reason for them? In my relatively short life, I've come to think that these words are why we need God, and what gospel really is. We don't need God to manage our behavior and conduct, and gospel isn't a reward because we believe rightly. What these words tell me is that at our very core as humans, our greatest fear is that we are utterly and truly alone—in life and in death. What if in the end all we are is forsaken?
The ultimate truth is that as Jesus Christ was raised, we will be raised too. We are never alone—in life or in death. That truth is good news ... and a truth worth believing in.
Prayer
Gracious God, your son experienced forsakenness so that we might know the truth of your gospel: We are never forsaken. Thank you for that never-ending story of your love. Amen.