His Last WeekSample

Right up until the end, Jesus highly valued his connection with his Father. After his last meal with his friends, Jesus took Peter, James, and John into the nearby Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He was deep in sorrow as he began to face the pain and darkness that was coming for him right that very moment. This hour in the Garden was the lowest moment in the life of Jesus as he awaited his arrest and crucifixion.

Jesus knew he could only endure the suffering of the cross with his Father's help. The last thing he did before his arrest was run to his Father in a prayer of pain, trauma, and heartbreak. He was both honest with his feelings and submitted to his Father's will—so certain of his Dad’s love for him that he could cry out in anguish and trust all at once.

That night Jesus warned his friends, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Do you ever feel that way, too? You want to connect to God, but your mind can’t stay focused. You believe he could help—in theory—but you just never seem to come to Jesus and ask for it?

Tell him about your pain. Or has it hardened into resentment for him? Tell him that, too. Just go to your Father, wherever you are right now. Choose one of the things from today’s reading that Jesus said to his Father in the Garden and use it to start an honest conversation with your Father. It's the only way to face whatever is coming.