At the point of crisis, we usually don’t engage in deep theological reflection. But later – after the unexpainable suffering, we silently and maybe even outloud, begin to question how this prayer business works. Peter Grieg, who’s wife died very young, begins his excellent and honest book by pointing to Jesus:
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is wrestling for His life, in prayer. The location is significant: “Gethsemane” literally means “the Oil Press,” and for Jesus it has become a place of intense pressure – spiritually, emotionally, and physically. When life threatens to crush us, we too may wrestle in prayer. If God is our loving Abba, Father, for whom everything is possible, why – we may wonder – does He not just remove the cup of suffering? Does He really care? Is He really there? I don’t know the shape of your unanswered prayers – we each arrive in Gethsemane by different paths – but here’s how it happened to me… (God on Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer) Gerald Sitzer had a similar experience seeing his wife, He wrote A Grace Disguised, and later When God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayer. You can read an excerpt from a Christianity Today article here. Continue Reading…
