Submission
Gethsemane
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
- Matt 26:36 - 44
We often place lots of value on what we want. Whatever it is, we want it done our way. We have learnt to request in such a way that 'if it is God's will it will be granted'. But how often do we mean it? When we have prayed in that way, and not received what we asked for, we still feel disappointed and angry that we did not have our way.
But what Jesus showed in his life was submission. When he prayed "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.", he meant it. And by meaning what he said in his prayer, he was submitting himself to God's will, obedient to death, even death on a cross.
This has been something I've struggled with. Deep down inside, we always want things to go our way. But when true submission comes it does not matter what happens, because God's way is the best. God's has a purpose for each one of us.
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
- Matt 26:36 - 44
We often place lots of value on what we want. Whatever it is, we want it done our way. We have learnt to request in such a way that 'if it is God's will it will be granted'. But how often do we mean it? When we have prayed in that way, and not received what we asked for, we still feel disappointed and angry that we did not have our way.
But what Jesus showed in his life was submission. When he prayed "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.", he meant it. And by meaning what he said in his prayer, he was submitting himself to God's will, obedient to death, even death on a cross.
This has been something I've struggled with. Deep down inside, we always want things to go our way. But when true submission comes it does not matter what happens, because God's way is the best. God's has a purpose for each one of us.
posted by guitar123 at
4:59 AM
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