Only one person has truly understood the words that Christ said on the cross: “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”, that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). That person was Christ himself. The rest of us are left to try our best in comprehending this heaven-rending, heart-melting loud cry. But we fall so very short in understanding this burden that was placed on Christ – a burden heavier than ten thousand crosses – that caused him to break out in a loud cry of dereliction that would have stunned heaven into silence. If he had not said these words, “we must have howled out this hideous complaint in the lowest hell forever” (Flavel, 1:411). But he did say those words. And for believers, while they are words that arose out of the greatest discomfort possible for the Son of God, they are words that give us the greatest comfort imaginable. “My God, My God, why have you blessed me?” is a phrase only possible for us because of Christ’s words, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
