This Week In Recovery Lesson
When God Says “No” or “Wait”
It is our nature to want what we want when we want it, and to want to get all that we want. This is the primary function of the GO center of our brain, according to the automatic chemical transmissions beyond our control. These are known as excitatory processes. Our values and morality shaped by real-life experience, influenced by intelligence and common sense, work in the frontal regions of our brain as the STOP center of the brain to attempt to reign in our perpetual pursuit to get what we want. These automatic chemical transmissions, known as inhibitory processes allow us to think things through so that we can exercise effectively caution and judgment.
The problem is that we are innately selfish in our sin nature. Therefore, the GO system in the brain more often than not overrules and overrides the STOP System. This can be true as well when we have an opportunity to act on something positive and healthy but but do not when we are overcome or motivated by apprehension, fear or laziness. So our selfish sin nature can infect the STOP system of the brain, along with the GO system.
When we pray, asking God for this and for that, more often than not we are praying from a selfish motivation. Sometimes that selfish motivation isn’t necessarily sinful, but also might not be for our best. Do we believe that God is always interested and knowledgeable about what our best is? Do we want what we want or do we want what is for our best?
Jesus wrestled with this as a thirty-three year old man coming into a some pretty stressful time in his life. In fact, he was having to process this problem of impending torture and execution. Intellectually, he knew that this was something absolutely necessary to fulfill his calling—his destiny—as the sacrifice for the merciful forgiveness of sinners once and for all. Jesus knew this was why he was born into this world. He had said as much to his family and friends.
After telling his friends, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death”, he prayed to God:
“My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Matthew 26:39 (NLT)
- What was Jesus asking for as he prayed?
- What did Jesus need to happen as he prayed?
- In addition to what he needed, what did Jesus want as he prayed?
- What would you say Jesus was feeling as he prayed?
- Having told his closest friends that his purpose for being born was to be the one and only sacrifice for sinners, could he have had a notion that perhaps there was another way (in the way that God provided a lamb for Abraham)?
No, there was no other way. The best in this instance for Jesus was for our best. The fact that Jesus suffered in the worst way was for the benefit of something or someone else in the present as well as for another time.
He (Pilate) ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. Matthew 27:26-31 (NLT)
- Did Jesus experience doubt or wonder as he continued through this time of crisis and tragedy? Explain.
- As he struggled along the journey to his death in the last hours of his life, did Jesus ever ask the question, where is God? Explain.
At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Matthew 27:46 (NLT)
- What would you say Jesus was feeling in this moment of painful insurmountable need?
Other translations use the word “forsaken”, which means abandoned. Not only did Jesus experience physical tragedy and emotional crisis of the worst kind, he experienced spiritual separation from God. Jesus wondered about his Heavenly Father, “Where are you?” “Where did you go?” “Why did you leave me?”
Just like a parent saying “no” to their son or daughter, knowing that it is for their good and best, whether for this or another time; or, maintaining perspective in considering what was at stake in the bigger picture, God said, “no” to His son.
- Based on the reaction of Jesus in Matthew 27:46, would you say that he was happy about being told “No”? Explain.
Please proceed to this week’s application challenge by clicking TWRAC 032.
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