“Your Will

Be Done”

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethesmane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, “I am greatly grieved, event to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass until I drink it, your will be done.” Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”

Matthew 26:36-46

Are you being called to taste some bitter cup of pain or loss? Are you tempted to push it away? Never forget that Jesus was the God-Man, with both divine and human natures. He recoiled from the prospect of agonizing crucifixion and the ordeal of having the world’s sin heaped on His sinless soul. And worst of all, He shuddered at the thought of being abandoned by His Father. He knew that the hand, which would for our redemption hold the cup to His lips, was not a human hand. It was the hand of God, His loving Father. And that same Father is intent on redeeming our lost human race.

We can never understand the love God has for His Son. But we know that we have to take our own stand on Calvary and believe that any cup we drink is held to our lips by the Father of fathomless love and wisdom. Our prayer is that of trustful submission because we believe that even life’s most bitter cup is held in the Father’s hand.

We learn the lesson of trust in the school of trial.

Our Daily Bread – March 20, 2008