According to the Bible (Matthew 27:45-46), Jesus is reputed to have asked this on the cross. The New English Bible translates this as, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" There is lots of speculation about why Jesus would have said this. Most of the speculation boils down to the idea that Jesus was acting like a normal human in a terrible predicament, which, of course, he was.
But I don't think that's what it was. Not that I'm a biblical scholar, or even Christian. (Although perhaps that's an advantage, as I wasn't programmed to believe anything in particular.) This is how my guides explained it to me:
If you choose to serve humanity or the earth, that is, the common good, or even the higher spiritual good, you must choose to serve of your own free will, not because it is your path, or because you are guided. You must choose to serve without the intervention of anyone, including guides, angels, or whatever your conception of God. That moment of choice is probably the only moment in your life when you are truly alone.
Choosing to serve of your own free will is the next step in spiritual mastery. It is the invitation for the Christ energy, the energy of evolution, to enter you.
There is, of course, no requirement to choose to serve -- all choices are honorable when made in full consciousness.
So should you ever feel truly alone in making a decision, especially if you are accustomed to getting any sort of spiritual or psychic information, please understand that this is an invitation to your spiritual evolution. There is a reason you feel alone -- and you can take an ironic sort of comfort from that -- you must be doing something right to even get the invitation!
3 comments:
Hollis:
Great insight.
I would like to add that in Matthew 27:50 it reads that rather than accept the drink from the sponge soaked in wine "Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and gave up his spirit". At that moment, Jesus chose God. In the Gospel, as interpreted by most of us in the west, we portray this choice as a literal death but it was really (and more importantly) a figurative death where Jesus chose God over this world. In a real sense he transformed himself from man to god. We in the west often hold to a literal interpretation of the Gospels and fail to see the allegorical meanings that exist there. If we were to look at the allegorical meanings we would discover that Jesus laid out a path for us to follow. Not the literal path of dying on the cross but the figurative path of dying to our worldly desires to serve a greater purpose.
I prefer a slightly different view. I believe that rather than making a choice Jesus realized that the choice of taking comfort from this world (by accepting the offer of the sponge soaked in wine) or taking comfort from God was really not a choice at all. Jesus realized that the choice was a false choice. In other words Jesus realized that the only true comfort came from God and not man or this world symbolized by the wine. This realization allowed the choice of which your guides speak. This interpretation is a radical view because it means that Jesus's death was not a sacrifice or burden at all but a quest for the comfort and joy of God.
We, in the west, often limit this crucifixion message to sentimental morality plays that suggest that Jesus gave his life to save us. In one sense (the literal sense) this view is correct but not in the way we believe. Jesus was an exemplar meaning he showed us the way by example. From this perspective Jesus didn't die but realized a life without death. Only the body can die and not the spirit.
Blessing on this day.
Dave
Hollis,
Thanks for the conversation start!
The Bible itself has something to say about the meaning of Jesus’ words on the cross. Psalm 22, written by David approximately 1000 years before Jesus’ birth, says this:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?”
There is more written later in the same Psalm that the book of John interprets as having been fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixion as well.
“For dogs have surrounded me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones. They look and stare at me. They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” (Psalm 22:16-18; cf. John 19:23-24)
-Rob Patterson
Thank you Hollis!
I have recently had a very trying time of feeling alone and abandon by a spiritual teacher. I was one of his best students for a couple years but suddenly he turned on me and was not particularly "mentorly".
Confused and shocked, by his not practicing what he preaches, I went into deep prayer with God. I realized that I have a personal and unique gift I must give and if I remain emotionally attached to this teacher it will not surface to its full potential!
I like the association of an "invitation" it makes the choice to move forward, on my own feel very empowering.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Jardine (from HypnoCoaching
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