“Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” Jesus in Mark 14:36.
“Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” Jesus in Mark 14:36.
I am a journaler and I record my prayers as well. I review these prayers and mark when a prayer is answered with a yes or a no. Sometimes there is nothing to record regarding a prayer, so I keep it on the ‘active’ list. I love getting the ‘yeses’ – not so much with the ‘noes.’ But as I read my bible, I see many times where prayers were met with a ‘no.’ John the Baptist will not be released but will die at the whim of a wicked woman. Stephen will not be spared but become the first Christian martyr. Paul’s thorn – though the topic of earnest prayer, will not see his thorn removed – he will have to live with it. The account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane is a powerful example of a ‘no’ from the Father and is recorded in three of the Gospels. The cup will not pass, but Jesus will have to drink all of it.
Jesus knew and accepted his mission, but he was also human – and he knew what he was imminently facing. Certainly, the prospect of torture and agonizing death on a cross would fill any human with dread. Someone has said – if you think the cross was no big deal, you should stub your toe smartly on Holy Week. But even greater than that was the realization that the Sinless One would soon carry the sins of the world upon himself. We humans can’t come close to relating to this prospect. And so he prayed for the cup to pass if possible.
In Mark Jesus said he was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death and Luke tells us that Jesus sweat as it were great drops of blood. The ‘no’ answer was not because there was no power in prayer! But it’s also interesting to me that the disciples – who slept in spite of Jesus’ encouragements to pray – were, according to Luke, also exhausted with sorrow. There are times when the silence – or the ‘no’ from God weigh heavily upon us too.
It is wonderful to think that at this juncture, Luke tells us that an angel came and strengthened the human Jesus. Even in the valley of the shadow of death we fear no evil for the great shepherd is with us – his rod and staff they comfort us. In the midst of the hard facts of ‘no’ there is comfort from our loving Father.
Today is Ash Wednesday – the first day of Lent - a time when Christians take forty days to prepare for Easter. It was inaugurated at the Council of Nicea in 325AD to encourage Christians to prepare their heart for the holiest day of the year. As you take special times to let the Spirit search your heart and as you spend special time with the Lord, don’t forget that God was with the Son in both the yeses and the noes. He is with you in both of these as well!
Pastor Leon Throness
