March 8, 2026

This powerful exploration of Christ's fourth saying from the cross takes us into the darkest moment of the crucifixion—when Jesus cried out, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' We discover that this wasn't confusion or despair, but rather Jesus quoting Psalm 22, a messianic prophecy written centuries before. The darkness that fell at midday wasn't natural—it was supernatural judgment falling on sin itself. What makes this moment so profound is understanding what 'forsaken' truly means: to be completely alone, like a ghost town abandoned and empty. Jesus experienced the full weight of divine judgment for every sin of every person who has ever lived or ever will live. He stood where we deserved to stand, facing God's wrath so we wouldn't have to. The imagery of a backburn is particularly striking—just as firefighters burn a field before wildfire reaches it, leaving nothing left to consume, Jesus allowed God's wrath against sin to fully consume Him. Now we're invited to stand where that fire has already burned, where judgment has already fallen, finding safety in the place where Jesus paid it all. This wasn't abandonment of the Trinity but rather Jesus experiencing judicial forsakenness in our place, making it possible for us to never face that separation from God.