My God, My God, Why Have You NOT Forsaken Me?

I was reading about the prodigal son recently, and I was freshly reminded of the wonderful grace of God. If you’re unfamiliar with the story, this son forsakes his family, runs off with his inheritance, and wastes all of his property on loose living. A famine hits the country, and because of his bad decisions, he essentially sells himself to a foreigner and becomes a pig farmer. While in this bleak situation, it says that he “came to himself”. He remembers his father. He remembers the goodness of his father. But he also knows himself. Surely he could not go back as a son. He realizes that it is better to be a slave in his father’s house than to be free in the world. So the Prodigal Son decides to go home and enslave himself to his father.

But the father surprises everyone. Upon the son’s return, the father runs to meet him! He clothes him, feeds him, and celebrates him. Not only was he not rejected by his father, but he was reinstated as a son. The father rejoices that, “this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” Incredible mercy that this father shows to his son!

And as surprised as everyone was at the father’s response, I am often equally as surprised at my heavenly Father. I was once lost and dead in sin. I squandered the good gifts of God for my own gain. I was content to have the blessings of God, as long as I could get away from God Himself. And when I came to myself (or better yet, when God came to me), He did not reject me, but He accepted me. He accepted my humble repentance and my weak faith. He clothed me with robes of righteousness, and He made me His son. Incredible mercy that the Father has shown to His son! The question is, “My God, My God, why have You not forsaken me?”

I was a rebel and a deceiver. I loved my sin. Why not forsake me? Why would He accept me? And the answer is found at the cross. At the cross, my sin and rebellion was laid on Jesus Christ. At the cross, the Father turned His face away. At the cross, the true Son of God said, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken ME?” (Matt 27:46). The true Son was forsaken, so that I would be accepted. Jesus was my substitute. I deserved to be forsaken. I deserved righteous judgement for my rebellion, but Christ received it on my behalf. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). And though He was forsaken for me, His sacrifice was accepted by God, proved by the resurrection of Christ on the third day.

So if you ask, “How do I know that God will not forsake me if I come to Him?” Just look to Jesus. Know that He was forsaken on your behalf, so that you would be accepted by God. Trust in His death, and trust in His resurrection. Return to Him with repentance and faith and receive the gift of adoption. Jesus told the story of the prodigal son to assure us that our gracious Father never forsakes those who put their trust in Christ.

©Jacob Crouch 2021, 2023