Editors’ note: 

Today we bring you the fifth in our Easter week 2022 quiet time series. From our core team of volunteers to each of you, may God bless you with a hope-filled and deeply meaningful Easter. 

Whether you choose to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection according to the Catholic or Orthodox tradition, or in some other way mark the miracle as a disciple of Jesus, we hope you’ll take time to enjoy this short series of personal devotionals as a special seasonal gift from us to you. Prepared by our own Sharon Gauthier — elder’s wife, women’s minister in the Chicago church of Christ (https://www.chicagochurch.org) —we pray that these Easter week 2022 quiet times help to fortify your heart with lasting joy in Christ, whatever you may be facing, wherever you are in the world.  

In Remembrance of Prayer

Scripture Reading:  Matthew 26:36-50, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 11:1-13

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus poured out His heart to His Father.  Reading through the accounts, we see Jesus wrestle through His emotions.  He asks the Father to “take this cup from me,” yet He is resolved to do the Father’s will and not His own.

Recently, I heard a dear friend and minister speak about this passage of scripture.  He posed the question, “Did God answer Jesus’ prayer?”  He went on to explain that the answer to that question can be found in Jesus’ response to Judas and his violent entourage when He said, “Do what you came for, friend” (Matthew 26:50).

The “cup” was not taken away, but Jesus’ prayer was answered because He left His time of prayer with courage and resolution to follow through with, “…not my will, but your will be done.” He was no longer “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”  Instead, He was unflinchingly strong, yet filled with love and compassion, to take the cup that was placed before Him.

What is the purpose of prayer?  Is it only a time when we ask God for what we want and then wait in expectation that He will give it to us…and quickly?  For Jesus, prayer seemed to be a conversation with His Father.  He expressed His desires and fears and needs and concerns, yet also listened to the Father and aligned Himself with the Father’s will.

I wonder sometimes what it was about Jesus’ prayer life that made His disciples request, “Lord, teach us to pray…”  Clearly, it couldn’t have been that they’d deduced that imitating Jesus’ prayer life would mean they would be able to ask God for everything they wanted and get it.  After all, the Lord they followed had nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20).  He was rejected (Luke 17:25).  People had tried to kill Him (Luke 4:29).

So what did they see in Jesus’ prayer life?  My guess is that they saw a relationship.  They saw their Lord calling God “Father.”  They saw Jesus relying on His Father and communicating with His Father continually.  Yes, the Father would provide for them, but the provision wouldn’t always come in the form that they—according to human reasoning—would expect.

Have you ever had a prayer that you felt was not answered?  A few years back, my mother was diagnosed with cancer.  I prayed that she would be healed.  Many of my Christian friends prayed for her as well.  I was filled with faith as I saw God answer those prayers with many hopeful test results.  But sadly, the cancer ultimately progressed and my mother passed away.  Does that mean that God did not answer my prayers?  When I look back, He answered my prayers in ways I never expected.  He gave me many happy moments with my mother that I may never have had otherwise.  He gave me strength beyond anything I ever could have foreseen as I dealt with her final arrangements.  He gave me a peace I didn’t think would be possible in face of such a loss.  I could feel that God never left me.  He never stopped listening.  He never stopped caring.  He was there all along.  Yes, He answered my prayers.

During this Easter season, I can look to Jesus as my example.  I can remember the heartfelt prayers He poured out to the Father and know that, just as God answered Jesus’ prayers, He is answering mine and yours.  May our eyes always be open to see those answers.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What does prayer mean to you?  In what ways have your views of prayer changed (or stayed the same) over the years?

2. Reflect on a time when you knew without a doubt that God was answering your prayer.  Was His answer “yes” or “no”?  In what way did the answer affect your faith?

3. Is there someone God has placed on your heart to pray for or to pray with?  What can you do about it today?