Mark 14:50 “And they all forsook him, and fled.” Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.”
From Bible Hub: Ellicott’s Commentary on Matthew 26:56
“Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.” –We read with a sorrowful surprise of this cowardly abandonment. Better things, we think, might have been expected of those who had professed their readiness to go with Him to prison and to death. Yet we may remember (1) the weariness and exhaustion which had overcome them, making the resolve and courage, to say the least, more difficult; and (2) that they had been told not to resist, and that flight might seem to them the only alternative to resistance. – Source
Upon waking up this morning, the word “Forsaken” came to mind; and immediately I knew it would be the title to my next article. Whenever I think about ‘my reality of being forsaken,’ I cannot help but revert my focus onto how Jesus was forsaken by His disciples when things ‘got real.’ Yes, we will be hated, forsaken, despised, and rejected. Somehow, knowing that Jesus told us these things would happen helps to soften the impact of enduring it all. See, Jesus told us that we will be hated for His Name’s sake, that true Christians will be hated by this world. We will not fit in, we will be ostracized, we will be shunned, and we will be scoffed at for our belief in God’s Word, our trusting in Jesus, and for our upholding of Biblical Morals and Values.
From Bible Tools: Commentary on Persecution
Above all, persecution for His sake brings us into fellowship with the sufferings of our Savior. Our love for Christ should be so great that we rejoice that it has come upon us on His account. If He suffered so much to give us this awesome future, why should we not gladly suffer a little for Him?
Persecution is a blessing in disguise designed to bring out the best of Christian character. From it we frequently become aware of weaknesses in our character. Persecution’s pressures are humbling. They make us understand that our spiritual infirmities are so great that we cannot stand for a single hour unless Christ upholds us. How true are His words, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Persecution can also keep us from certain sins because it makes us more vividly aware of the impossibility of friendship with the world. Seeing we cannot have both the world and the Kingdom, it can help us set our resolve to live righteously. “And not only that,” the apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:3-4, “but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
At first glance, persecution seems contradictory to the way and purpose of God. Though we certainly do not wish it upon anyone, and though we sincerely hope we do not have to face it, we can understand in the broad overview that, because of the enmity of Satan, it is inevitable. And in reality, it is a disguised blessing, designed to complete our preparation for God’s Kingdom. – Source
The Bible talks about children being a fruit of the womb, a heritage from the Lord, and a blessing. In recent years, the ‘fruit of my womb’ has been more of a type of affliction; but upon further reflection, I realize that this whole experience has truly been more of a ‘blessing in disguise’! If I were to see my oldest prodigal today, I would first hug her and let her know I forgive her, then I would tell her that God used this situation and turned it out for our good and for His glory! If I were to see my youngest prodigal today, I would hug her and tell her that we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with principalities, powers, and wickedness in high places, and that Jesus is waiting for her to come back to Him!
Just know that if you are going through something similar as being forsaken by loved ones, that God can take a scourge, a malady, a misfortune, and turn it into the biggest praise report of your life! If this is what it had to take to deepen my relationship and walk with Christ, then being forsaken was well worth it! Therefore, no matter what, I am grateful for the fruit of my womb, the heritage from the Lord, the blessings which are my two girls whether they choose to have me in their lives or not.
Psalm 127:3 “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”
From Collins Dictionary: A Blessing in Disguise
If you say that something is a blessing in disguise, you mean that it causes problems and difficulties at first but later you realize that it was the best thing that could have happened. – Source
If you are someone who feels ‘forsaken’ in some way this day, just know that Jesus promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. God loves us with an everlasting love, more than we can comprehend or fathom. From experience, I know it is very hard to live this life, day to day feeling this way, but through Christ we can do all things! Yesterday, I read Psalm 139, and it made me cry knowing how much God loves us and thinks of us… it truly is more than we can wrap our minds around. Here is the chapter; I recommend reading this a couple of times aloud to yourself… it is beyond beautiful how much we are loved, thought of, and cared for by Abba Father God Himself!
Psalm 139
1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Until next time… Maranatha!
(JESUS = WAY, TRUTH, LIFE)