“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down, and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’”
Luke 22:41-42
Do you ever hesitate before you pray, thinking, How can I possibly ask God to do this (or not do that) when I’m not even sure it’s OK to ask? How far do we dare to go before our prayers become shocking, to God as well as to others?
Come with me again to that holy moment when Jesus struggled before going to the cross. Imagine Him during the Last Supper, feeling conflict in His soul as He faced His looming crucifixion. Watch Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, falling to His knees and asking the impossible:
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Take note of His prayer. First, it was submissive. Jesus bookended His request with the will of His Father. He started with “if” and ended with “yet.” Jesus’ will was that He could somehow avoid the terrible fury of God’s wrath. But He was willing to do His Father’s will.
Second, Jesus’ prayer was genuine. He truly asked His Father to escape the cross, not once but three times. That means the ascended Jesus can help you with your struggles today.
Come with me again to that holy moment when Jesus struggled before going to the cross. Imagine Him during the Last Supper, feeling conflict in His soul as He faced His looming crucifixion. Watch Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, falling to His knees and asking the impossible:
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Take note of His prayer. First, it was submissive. Jesus bookended His request with the will of His Father. He started with “if” and ended with “yet.” Jesus’ will was that He could somehow avoid the terrible fury of God’s wrath. But He was willing to do His Father’s will.
Second, Jesus’ prayer was genuine. He truly asked His Father to escape the cross, not once but three times. That means the ascended Jesus can help you with your struggles today.
Scripture Focus
Luke 22:39-46
Insight
If Jesus could ask not to bear the wrath of God for our sin, then I can ask the impossible and submit to His will.
Bible In A Year
- Judges 20-21
- Psalm 119:1-88
- 1 Corinthians 12
