A Prayer about God’s Silence

‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.’ Luke 22:42

Father God,

As we walk with Jesus through Holy Week, 

as we kneel with him 

while he washes his disciples’ feet, 

as we listen to him 

give the new commandment 

to love one another as he has loved them (John 13:34), 

may we also stay awake with him 

in the garden as he agonizes in prayer. 

As we watch and listen with Jesus, 

may we notice that no answer comes to his prayer.

You do not speak. 

You do not send an angel. 

You are silent in Jesus’ moment of agony.

And may your silence speak 

into every empty space 

we have ever known in our prayers. 

When we beg you for years 

to bring our child home 

and she just seems to wander farther away from you. 

When we urge you  for decades to heal our chronic pain, 

and it lingers, weakening us and making us irritable. 

When we plead with you daily to free us from addiction, 

but the craving still strikes out of the blue.

In your silence to Jesus 

may we hear your whispered response 

to every prayer that hangs in the balance:

I abandoned my Son to the cross for you (Psalm 22:1-2). 

I sent my Son to take on your punishment and your pain (Romans 3:25-26). 

I sentenced my Son to death that you might be raised to new life. 

I am your beloved, and you are mine (Song of Solomon 2:16). 

As we remember these answers to prayers we did not pray, 

may we draw near to the throne of grace 

and find mercy to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

In Jesus’ suffering name. Amen.

Read Luke 22:39-46; Psalm 22:1-2; Romans 3:25-26; Song of Solomon 2:16; Hebrews 4:16.

Note: This prayer is based on my Holy Week devotional, The Gospel Day-by-Day. Get your Holy Week devotional e-book free now. Link in profile or copy/paste link into browser: http://eepurl.com/b__teX.