The two-letter word in the above title resonates in our ears. We’ve heard it since childhood, but we still don’t like it. These two letters go against our wants and desires. No means we can’t have something. Something that we really want.
I want to take you back 2,000 years to the Passover meal—the Lord’s Supper—of Jesus and His disciples. During the solemn meal, Jesus announced that one of the 12 disciples would betray Him. Shortly afterward, Judas left the room. The remaining 11 and Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane. There, the Lord separated Himself from His disciples to go a little deeper into the garden to pray. The Lord spent three hours praying in three different one-hour sessions. After each session, He returned to remind Peter, James, and John to pray. They were tired and fell asleep while the Lord agonized in prayer.
Jesus knew He had come to this earth for the purpose that would take place in the next few hours, His crucifixion. In His earthly body, knowing what was ahead, our Lord asked His heavenly Father for a special request. “Father, is there any other way to redeem mankind without me dying on the cross?” Jesus knew the pain He would endure; His back being ripped to shreds, the nails, the jolt to his body as the cross hit the bottom of the hole so that it would stand upright, and the struggle to breathe while He hung between heaven and earth.
Jesus asked, “Is there another way to redeem man?” His Father, our God, said no, the ultimate no, the big no! “Only your spotless, sinless blood can redeem mankind.” Jesus, in His humanity, accepted the will of God. He gladly, willingly went to the cross for you and me because of His deep love for us.
There are times every day, even when we offer our prayer requests, God says no. He is not being mean, but wants to help us. Our heavenly Father does so for our benefit. We may not like it, but He knows best. Later, we may understand His answer, or we may not. However, we must remember that God always knows best for us.
When you hear no, think of our Lord. He complied with His Father’s answer no, so you and I can have heaven as our eternal home with Jesus.
Thank God for His no’s.
