Season 1 Episode 52 Which one should feel shameful? The sinner or the sinless? 

The second half of the psalm pondered on a question: Can God desert a soul? This is a worthy thinking question. We will also find out that the only prayer for being forsaken is made by Jesus on the cross, Father, Father, why are you forsaking me? 

Have you lived in rejections? Not only rejection from people but rejection of destiny? If so, I believe it was short and it was nothing like being totally forsaken like Jesus was. But if you have ever experienced rejections, you know very well that they are as sharp as piercing knives. You must know. 

A friend of mine was going to a great med-school in Philadelphia but the time delay has caused her a rejection letter. We were all joyous for her, but now we are grieving with her. You perhaps have proposed to a crush who admired in your heart but you were told that she/he has had no feelings for you at all. You are trying to lead a small group, but people in your group are constantly doubting your ability. You were trying to comfort a hurting sister, but you got the rolling of the eyes saying: "who needs your help?!" 

These are examples just to show who real and frequent rejections and denials happen in daily life. They are sudden, but we are not prepared. We will never feel fully prepared for any kind of rejection even though we guide our hearts with shields. Yes. We often over-prepared for them and kept them in secret because it is shameful to be rejected, not to mention, in public. 

However, there is one person who was completed rejected, and forsaken in public by many mocking witnesses. He was forsaken by his own father. The Son of Man could have saved himself from this embarrassment. He is God anyways. His father could have not forsaken him with all the other options. He is God anyways. However, because he was publicly forsaken and humiliated in the ordeal, he prayed that exact prayer: " Father. Father. Why are you forsaking me?" This is an utterly shameful prayer. In the eyes of public witnesses, the son of God promised to save sinners from death but he himself was crucified on the cross. Why does he not save himself if he is as what he said he is? If Jesus was not willing to save us, he doesn't have to face such a humiliation. Because he knew. He knew this humiliation and pain of rejection and forsakenness belong to us. 

We are hopeless without him. The worse judgment is coming upon us. The forsakenness we can not bear. He bears for us. 

Back to the question in the beginning. My friends. Who shall ever feel humiliated?

If we are humiliated while being worn out of doing good. How should we? Shall we be ashamed of the gospel? By no means! Continue to do good no matter what rejections awaits for us. If we feel the pain of rejections, no one was more painful than Jesus himself.  Rejections are unavoidable in this world, so is humiliation. It all because the original sin was rejection of all that is good, commanded by God. We rejected the truthfulness and righteousness, and we will be rejected by the righteous and the good, or even worse, by the wicked and the evil. Because there is no acceptance for betrayers anywhere. 

Until Jesus came and lived, all the pain of rejections will be terminated. Before then, when I am rejected, I look to Jesus. Rejections are what I supposed to face, but Jesus substituted for me. My humiliation needs Jesus' death. I need Jesus. Jesus was completely forsaken so that I no longer have to. 

Music credit to Shane & Shane

~The Lord is My Salvation.~ 

--------

All rights reserved.