“Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” (Matthew 26:36-41 NLT)
There are times when we will ask others to walk with us and we will learn that in some challenges we must walk alone holding tightly to our heavenly Daddy’s hand.
Jesus reminds us that those closest to us will not be able to stand with us during our greatest challenges. While the flesh is willing it’s often weak. Remember with God we are never alone.
Jesus also shows us the power of submission to the will of God. In our greatest challenges we may want a way out but God wants to show us a way through, a way to victory.
Jesus shows us that in His deepest anguish, wrestling with His flesh and His purpose, the strength of His commitment to do the will of His Father right unto death, a very painful and humiliating death. The cross was His destination and Jesus never lost sight of it.
Then walking back to the disciples, He finds them asleep again. Before we judge them too harshly, we must ask ourselves, how many times do we allow our bodies to dictate what we’re going to do instead of submitting to the Spirit of God ourselves?
Jesus always had the will of the Father on His mind. “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Jesus made both of these statements in His humanness, which tells us that in our suffering we, too, can decide to do the will of God. Ultimately Jesus chose to submit His will, and His flesh, to His Father’s will.
Declare today:
Father, I want Your will to be done in my life, not mine.
Be Encouraged! ❤