We continue to focus our attention on the final days of Jesus before His crucifixion. On this day, He spends His day with His disciples (Mark 14:1-72). Toward the end of the day, they participate together in the Last Supper and move into the Garden of Gethsemane for a time of prayer.
I invite you today to take a few moments and consider Jesus’ prayer in the Garden that evening. In the midst of COVID-19 when the pressures of business, jobs, bills, homeschooling, the future, unemployment, stay-at-home orders, and so many other things on our minds, Jesus’ prayer and the surrounding events are helpful to us. Seek to put those things out of your mind as you focus on Jesus and His travail that evening – all because of His love and desire to honor the Father.
Modern Gethsemane on My 2018 Visit
Jesus Prays in the Garden
Jesus left the Last Supper in the Upper Room and went through the Kidron Valley on the lower western slopes of the Mount of Olives. On the side of this mountain, Jesus walked into the grove of olive trees where there was a garden. He went into this Garden to pray. In this place of solitude, Jesus sat down to pray and invited His disciples to pray with Him. One statement stands out to me this morning as I contemplate His prayer:
32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”
35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” (Mark 14:32-42)
One statement this morning particularly stands out to me: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
Jesus becomes our example of how to face extreme circumstances (like the COVID-19) while realizing this can be applied to our everyday outlook on life as well.
All Things Are Possible for God
He recognized that God can do anything. God is all-powerful. Nothing is impossible for God to do.
Let that resonate in your mind and heart today. Nothing is impossible for God.
Friend, that is not just simply my opinion. Jesus tells us that. In fact, He is not simply teaching here; He prays to His Abba Father when He acknowledges His power.
Please, take that to heart today. Regardless of what this crisis looks like, irregardless of what is happening in your life right now, no matter how big the problems in your life either are or you believe are becoming, nothing is impossible for God. God is in control. Not based upon my word or my reading of the Bible, but we know this based upon Jesus’ own recognition and acknowledgement on the night before His death.
Jesus Submitted to God’s Plan
The second observation we make of Jesus today – He submitted to God’s plan. He continues in the very next words: “Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” Jesus made His request while in submission to God.
“Take this cup away from Me”
In this statement, Jesus asks if it is possible to forego this moment of intense suffering where He will take God’s wrath of mankind’s sin upon Himself. He brings His petition before God. In His humanity, He asks God if there is any other way, He would prefer not to go through the next hours and ultimate death. But as you know, there was no Plan B. Jesus was the only one qualified as the perfect Lamb of God to be slain for the sins of the world and become the ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
“…nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
Jesus continues His request with the statement, “not what I want, but what You want.” Oh friend, I believe this is the hardest part of this prayer. In this statement we observe the humility and total submission to God the Father. He willingly makes Himself available to go through whatever God determines is best in this (and every) situation. Just as He had lived every other moment of His earthly life until this specific moment in time, He walked through this time as well (Phil 2:5-11). Jesus in total humility willingly accepted that what God wanted was best.
Think through this with me today. Jesus did desire something; He made a request (“take this cup from me”). However, His request remained secondary to His greater desire (“not what I want, but what You want”).
Jesus in this way models for us how we can pray as well. Do you have particular desires? Of course you do. Take those desires to God the Father in prayer. Ask Him whatever it is that you want. Call out to Him. Confess to Him. Implore Him.
In the same moment of prayer to God, similar to our wonderful and beautiful Savior Jesus Christ, also submit yourself to even a greater desire of humbling yourself to God’s greater plan – whatever that is. This is the hardest part. In this part of the prayer you are embracing God’s greater plan for your good and His glory, just as Jesus did this same night so many years ago as He also prayed to God the Father.
Take Heart and Pray
Back to today’s crisis. I’m not sure what is going on in your specific situation. We all face the same general problem – COVID-19. We can’t hardly catch our breath from all the changes in the world around us. People die all over. There is suffering. We do have deep interests and desires in the midst of it. Therefore, we go before God in prayer. We ask. We beg. He listens. In the same moment, we seek to humbly say, “But not my will, Your will be done.” We embrace as much as we humanly can the sweet spirit and attitude of our wonderful Savior as He take the cup of God’s wrath upon Himself.
Thankfully, as we come before God even on this day and in this hour, we can rejoice because it is not God’s wrath we undergo. Jesus took God’s wrath, this is simply a season of trouble through which God grants us the grace to go through in a way that honors Him. We rejoice, even in the midst of deep suffering, that on this day so many many years ago, Jesus willingly took the next step to take all of God’s wrath for our sin upon Himself the very next day. Today, we come as those in Christ and present our requests knowing that whatever happens, however it happens, and with whomever it happens, God’s wrath is not part of this. For which we say, “Thank you and amen.”
In gratitude we bring our request with the greater desire of not our will but Yours be done.
For my journal entry on the day that I visited Gethsemane, follow this link.
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together
