Devotional: The King & His Cross
“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’).” Matthew 27:45–46 (NIV)
There is a moment on the cross that can feel difficult to understand.
Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At first glance, these words can sound like something has gone wrong. They can feel like a breaking point, as if the weight of suffering has finally become too much. This moment, however, is not a loss of control or a collapse under pressure. It is purposeful and intentional.
Jesus chose these words carefully.
In the middle of His suffering, He is pointing back to Psalm 22, a passage written long before the cross that describes mockery, suffering, and execution. What appeared to be chaos was actually the fulfillment of something God had been revealing all along. This moment was not random. It had always been part of God’s plan.
The cross was not an accident. It was an execution, and every execution is an act of justice.
This truth leads to an important question. If Jesus is being judged, where is the guilt? Scripture makes it clear that Jesus was without sin. He had done nothing wrong. Yet He is treated as though He were guilty.
The guilt being judged is not His. It is ours.
This is where the cross becomes deeply personal. It is not distant or abstract. It speaks directly to the reality of our lives. Each of us knows what it feels like to fall short. There is an awareness, sometimes quiet and sometimes overwhelming, that we have not lived as we should. That reality cannot be dismissed or ignored. The Bible does not minimize it. It tells the truth about it.
There is guilt, and where there is guilt, there is judgment.
Rather than leaving us to carry that weight, God places it on Jesus. He experiences judgment, not for His own sin, but for ours. He stands in our place and receives what we deserve.
The deepest pain of the cross was not physical. It was relational.
For all eternity, the Son had existed in perfect relationship with the Father. There had never been a moment of separation. On the cross, that relationship is disrupted. Jesus experiences the separation that sin creates. He cries out using the language of covenant, “My God, my God,” while enduring the distance brought on by judgment.
He was forsaken.
He did not deserve it, yet He willingly remained. He did not step down from the cross or call for rescue. He continued in perfect obedience, fully committed to the mission He came to fulfill. Even in the midst of deep suffering, He remained steadfast.
The reason is both simple and profound.
He did this for you.
Jesus experienced separation so that we could experience connection. He took on what we could not carry so that we could receive what we could never earn. The cross is the place where justice and mercy meet, where guilt is fully addressed, and love is fully revealed.
This is not only something to understand. It is something to receive.
Questions for Reflection
What stands out to you most about Jesus’ words on the cross?
How does seeing the cross as purposeful change your understanding of it?
In what ways do you recognize the reality of guilt in your own life?
What does it mean to you personally that Jesus took your place?
How does this passage shape the way you view your relationship with God?
This Week’s Practice
Take a few moments each day to pause and reflect on this truth:
He was forsaken so I could be brought near.
When you feel distant from God, return to this truth. When you feel the weight of your own shortcomings, return to this truth. Allow it to shape the way you approach Him throughout the week.
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for the cross and for the love that led Jesus to take my place. I confess that I have fallen short and that I cannot carry the weight of my own guilt. Thank You that Jesus carried it for me.
Help me to understand more deeply what You have done and to trust it more fully. When I feel distant, remind me that I have been brought near through Christ. When I feel unworthy, remind me that Jesus has made a way.
Teach me to live in this truth each day.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
