Psalm 22: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
We hear news stories about people whose lives have been
turned upside down by disaster, personal tragedy, or just bad
luck. Underneath the heartbreak, sometimes there seems to
be a hint of outrage that God has abandoned them, unjustly
punished them, and left them alone in the wilderness.
When I was in my mid-twenties, I was an underemployed
college graduate, living at home with my parents, and
depressed because my life wasn't going the way I'd planned.
The great job, apartment, and adoring boyfriend hadn't yet
materialized. But then one day, as I sat in the doctor's office
awaiting the results of some medical tests I was sure were a
waste of time, I was surprised with a diagnosis of Crohn's
Disease.
After I got over the initial shock, found a gastroenterologist,
and did some research on the illness, a strange thing
happened--I stopped feeling sorry for myself. My previous
complaints seemed trivial, and even with the challenges of a
chronic illness, I began to feel hopeful. I realized that the
adversity we experience does not mean we've been
abandoned by God. If we trust in Him we are not alone, and
He can make us strong.
Psalm 22; Exodus 9:13-35; 2 Corinthians 4:1-12;
Mark 10:32-45
These Lenten meditations were written by the people
of St. Barnabas' for the people of St. Barnabas' as part
of our recognition of the 50th anniversary of the founding
of this church. We hope that you will find them helpful
in your own Lenten devotions.
