46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” —Matthew 27:46
Jesus is quoting King David from Psalm 22. I find myself saying these words myself, more often than I care to admit. I don’t think I’m alone. Did God really abandon Jesus in a moment of need? Did God really abandon King David, the man after his own heart? Does he abandon me?
My head (and my heart most of the time) says “I don’t think so”. I don’t think a loving father would abandon his son, and I happen to believe that my God is a loving father. I believe what happens to me is that I lose sight of God. I don’t feel his presence. For whatever reason. Could be my sin. Could be I’m not in touch with Him. Could be I’m not listening or looking.
I don’t think he abandoned Jesus either. I think Jesus was so fully human (and still fully God, the trinity is great mystery to me) in those moments, bearing the burden of all our sins, he lost sight of Him too.