Psalm 22
This passage from the Old Testament is quoted from Jesus on the cross. It starts off with a cry of desolation, Jesus asks God The Father “why have you forsaken me?” He then goes on to declare God’s holiness but then explains how he is “scorned” by others and how they mock him. Verses 16 -20 show pain and anguish as Jesus recalls that his “hands and feet have shrivelled” (he is physically dying) and even in his suffering he still asks God for help. From Verses 22 onwards Jesus praises and thanks God, he declares God’s rule “over the nations”.
In this Psalm Jesus faces terrible torture and suffering yet he still has faith in God. According to Christians, Jesus died so that humanity could live forever. He gave humanity a chance to be with God eternally. The Psalm shows that for those who have faith good things lie ahead and that suffering and perseverance ultimately lead to glorification.
Luke 22:39-46
Here Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane and according to the New Testament this is where Jesus and his disciples retreated to pray after the Last Supper on the night before his crucifixion. The garden lies at the foot of the Mount of Olives, in the capital of the State of Israel, Jerusalem.
Here Jesus first tells his disciples to pray that they will not fall into temptation and then he himself kneels down to pray. He submits his petition to God and asks if He would remove “this cup” from him, the cup referring to his destiny of being the “sin bearer” for humanity. Most importantly, however, is when Jesus says “not my will but yours be done”, Jesus understands that even if though we pray to God what we want is really not what is best. Instead he also asks God to do whatever His will is as he recognises God omniscience. Soon after Jesus prays he appears to gain some strength.
This passage shows that there is nothing wrong in praying or questioning God as that is what humans are naturally going to do, Jesus even did this himself. The key point is that accepting God into one’s life helps one get through suffering and that God knows what is best for an individual even if we think we know better.