Lessons from the GardenSample

A passion for the Father’s will

This is a profound moment in this story. If you’ll recall from our reading on day one, Jesus finds Himself in agonizing distress to the point of death. He is begging the Father to have this cup of suffering pass from Him, if at all possible.

Now, after finding Peter, James, and John sleeping and then rebuking them, Jesus returns to pray again. Notice the change. Something profound shifts in Jesus’ prayer.

“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”

Jesus accepts the reality of what He is about to face and shifts His focus. Instead of the imperative to let this cup pass from Him, Jesus says in the imperative, “Let Your will be done.” No longer is the prospect of the horrendous suffering He was about to face the focus. Now, the driving passion is the fulfillment of God’s will.

What has changed? If you look back at verse 40, you’ll observe that Jesus indicated He had spent an hour with the Father. While the essence of His prayer is recorded, obviously, there was more. Much more.

Knowing what He was about to face, Jesus made time with His Father the priority. And in that time, Jesus was strengthened. So much so that His focus had shifted to the imperative of the Father’s will being done.

Here’s the truth I believe you can take from this passage.

Whatever you may face, you will find strength by turning to God and laying on Him all that you are bearing, allowing for Him to fulfill His will. Will the problem go away? Will the issue you face be resolved? Not necessarily.

But what will happen is that your heart will become aligned with what God is up to, and you will find strength beyond your problem.