Good Grief Part 3: Learning to Lament With JesusНамуна

LAMENT FOR GOD'S PLAN

God created a perfect world. Satan came with temptation. Adam and Eve fell to that temptation. And God promised that one day He will defeat Satan. But how will God accomplish this? How will He rescue people from their sin, from the destruction of Satan’s lies and temptations?

“He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 13:15)

One day a Son of Man will come, and He will defeat sin, defeat death, defeat Satan. And that Son’s name is Jesus. But how will Jesus accomplish this? He will take the curse of death from us and take it on himself.

“But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” (Isaiah 53:5 NLT)

And here Jesus is. The night that He will be betrayed. He had dinner with His disciples. He told them, yet again, that He would have to die, but that He would be raised to life. They’re not getting it. He needs to get out of that room and talk to His Father. He needs to pray.

By tomorrow evening He will be dead. He knows this is what’s coming. He also knows that it will not be painless. It will be humiliating and very, very painful. As a man, this will be the hardest thing He has done- willingly surrender himself to the worst death imaginable.

And Jesus gets on His knees to pray. He sweats blood. He pours out His heart and soul to the Father. And the Son of Man laments for God’s plan. Does it have to be this way? Does He have to be betrayed? Does He have to surrender? Does He have to be beaten and scourged? Does he have to die this kind of death?

This plan is not fun. This plan hurts. This plan is hard. Yet, in His agony, Jesus prays…

“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42 NLT)

God’s will is good. God’s will is often hard. But God’s will is good. Jesus knew this. Jesus went to the cross for this. The will of God has saved your life in Jesus’ Name.

Ask Yourself:

-When have I found it hard to follow God's will?

-How can I pray like Jesus when the will and way of God are so hard?

Pause to Pray: God, this plan of yours is so hard! I have cried. I have asked You, begged You, to do this in a different way. Yet here I am. And here is hard. With all my heart I want your good and perfect will above my own. Give me the courage to walk this hard road…

Take a Next Step: You don’t need to walk the hard way alone! Jesus even asked his disciples to stay awake and pray with Him. Ask a trusted friend, mentor, or family member to commit to praying for you and with you over the week or month.