Luke 22:42 Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
There was one prayer of Jesus that was not answered. The heavens did not open nor did a loud voice come down in the Garden of Gethsemane to explain why the Lord God was silent to the pleading petition of Jesus. It was a cry of anguish in extreme distress. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (vs 44). Yet the Lord God did not answer. However, Jesus did not become angry nor did He show animosity as He endured the cross. He did not curse those who flogged Him, mocked or spat on Him. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). On the cross He cried, , “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Yet there was no answer.
The prayer of Jesus to remove the cup of suffering on the cross was declined as there was no other alternate route to eternal life. Jesus had to shed His sinless precious blood in order to open the door for us to enter into eternity. The Lord turned His face away from Jesus as the darkness of sin, transgressions, iniquity and curses of the world were on Him. Light and darkness, holiness and unholiness cannot co-exist.
The unanswered prayer was the path to salvation. It is in the dryness that He strengthens our bones. Satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong (Isaiah 58:11). It is in the furnace that He refines us and makes us priceless. There was no answer to the question of Jesus My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” on the cross but the answer to all our problems is the empty tomb.
The unanswered petitions pave the way to victory.
Unanswered Questions:
1. Drink: Jesus had to taste bitter ghastly crucifixion so that you and I can drink from the cup of salvation. In the communion cup, we don’t just taste the fruit of the vine but we drink health, healing and wholeness. The only petition of Jesus to evade the death on the cross was not answered so that our prayers could be heard and answered.
2. Dunghill: Dunghill is the lowest and most wretched place one could be pushed to. Golgotha was the dunghill where Jesus hung helplessly to turn our helplessness into happiness.
3. Death: Jesus tasted death so that you and I could win over death and live eternally with Him. Jesus Christ and the cross is the only way to eternity.
When your questions are unanswered, just trust the sovereign wisdom of God who only does good and not evil.
1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, when you don’t give me an answer to my anguish, help me to just trust you. Amen
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