Going
a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour
might pass from him. “Abba, Father,”
he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I
will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:35–36)
Jesus is in as mighty a
struggle here as a human being can be in. Like a child, he pours out his soul
to his Abba, Father, seeking some way
to resolve an awful dilemma.
“Abba,” he says. He had never known anything but the deepest
fellowship with his Abba, his Papa.
Surely there was some way to maintain that relationship and not be cut off, but
still save the world. But then his surrender to his Father emerges: “Yet not
what I will, but what you will.”
In that statement—maybe
the most important line in the New Testament—Jesus shows us the heart of the
kingdom of God. Those in the kingdom may struggle mightily, but in the end they
have one passion: God’s will, not their own. Mark tells us that Jesus returned
to pray this prayer two more times, and Luke adds that his sweat became as drops of blood (Luke 22:44 ). Let us never doubt that it was a
struggle. But in the end Jesus is resolved. The cross would come the next day,
but the battle was won that night in Gethsemane .
Some years ago, I was
able to visit this famous grove of olive trees and, from there, look across the
valley to the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. The scene will forever be
etched in my mind. The truth is, I need to go there every day—at least in my
heart. Life is truly found in saying, “Abba,
Father, not my will but yours be done.” Jesus did the right thing. He trusted
the Father. We can be thankful that he did.
Thanks Tom... this was right on time for me this morning!
ReplyDelete"The Righteousness One"...Jesus Christ. I am in a spot in my life wondering what to do, I also pray "Lord may your will be done".
ReplyDeleteI'm facing a possible change in my chemo treatment; I'm tempted to be scared and say "why God"?....but through all this I'm determined to not be anxious and worried (like I always do)....I've probably prayed a hundred times so far about this...not just 3 times! So...determined to be more like Jesus, I'm going to accept His will. I know in my head, His Will will be better than an easy route I would pick! It's seems harder to get it at peace in my emotions and heart, though...My sister gave me a charm bracelet that has different words on it related to cancer healing....I keep staring at the one that says "Accept".....and then holding onto "Love Heals", too! Much love to you, Tom!
ReplyDelete