THE UNANSWERED PRAYER at the centre of history

If anyone should get their prayers answered with a “yes”, it’s Jesus, right? Except on the night of His betrayal and arrest, His Father answered “no”.

Unimaginable pain and anguish lay ahead. Jesus would be beaten, mocked, falsely accused and utterly shamed. Nails would shatter his hands and thorns would tear his head. He would slowly suffocate as He hung from a wooden cross under the burning sun. Worst of all, in his torture and death, He would take the sin of the world upon Himself. Jesus would take the blame, the guilt and the shame. The Son would be judged by His Father.

In the calm before the storm, Jesus knelt to pray. As we listen through Scripture, we hear a prayer of perfect balance. It’s an honest cry for rescue and an absolute surrender to the Father’s will, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Jesus’ most testing moment gives us great hope. Not only did our Saviour commit to walking the costly road to save us, but He models what prayer looks like when we’re in anguish. It’s real, it’s raw and it’s honest—we really can pour it all out to our Father. And it keeps clinging to the Lord in faith, for He truly knows what is best.

PRAYER: Luke 23:34

ANSWER: Colossians 3:13