Every Hour in Our Living has Spiritual Meaning and Purpose. by Alonzoe' Thornton One of the deepest forms of human suffering is abandonment. This real life experience has severe and permanent cons…

[Alonzo E Thornton, D.Min.]

Every Hour in Our Living has Spiritual Meaning and Purpose.

by Alonzoe' Thornton

One of the deepest forms of human suffering is abandonment. This real life experience has severe and permanent consequences. Think for a moment of an actual experience that you have had, or are currently going through; the agony of separation of a love one through death, divorce or lack of meaningful loving relationship with another human-being. Or perhaps you are one of millions who experience one or more of the many forms of abuse, which runs rampant in our culture. Generally speaking, most of us will rather not dare to volunteer for any matter of emotional, physical or spiritual distress and or abandonment.

There is one, who according to the Ancient Scriptures, suffered greatly for humanity as His very reason for being born into the earth. His name is Jesus the Christ. In a very brief overview of His last 6 hours on earth, I wanted to reflect some of what He suffered as recorded by the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 15

• He was tried and convicted of blasphemy, later to be charged with a greater offense: treason against the Roman government-even though He was innocent.
• Pilate flogged him (while most of flogged victims seldom survived, Jesus the Christ survived.
• He was mocked due to His claims to be the King of the Jews.
• He was repeatedly beaten, spat upon prior to His crucifixion. He willfully experienced total humiliation as the submissive Suffering Servant.

Jesus’ suffering on the cross- lasted 6 hours. Aspects of this time frame consisted of the 1st three hours; Jesus suffered during the daylight at the hands of stonehearted human beings. The 2nd three hours, Jesus suffered in darkness at the hands of God.

As a teaching note, anytime we are separated or abandon from God, there is only darkness within our lives due to the multitude of sin in the earth and within our hearts.

            Jesus, during the sixth hour quoted Ps.22: 1 (My God! My God! Why have you abandoned me?) For the first time in Jesus’ earthly existence, He experienced what many of us experience for most of our lives that He was not at one with the Heavenly Father. God abandoned Jesus in a judicial means (placing human sins upon Jesus who was born to take away the sins of the world).

            It was during Jesus separation from the Father, that God’s curses and His righteous judgments for sins were placed upon Jesus on behalf of humanity. Between the physical suffering that Jesus endured before and upon the cross, I contend that the spiritual agony that He underwent as the Lamb of God taking away the sins of the earth were infinitely greater.

Let us forever be thankful for this blessed life that we have been granted. Regardless of where you currently are in your living and being, you and I are not alone. We have a loving heavenly Father who cares for us whether or not we know it. Jesus is real, and He has already answered the most important questions in this life, namely that every hour of your life has spiritual meaning and purpose. Seek and ye shall find.

Much Grace and Peace

Brother Alonzoe' Thornton