And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. Now when He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you do not come into temptation.” And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground]. When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you do not come into temptation.” – Luke 22:39-46
One of the most powerful prayers in the Bible belongs to Jesus while he is at the Garden of Gethsemane. At a grave moment in his life, Jesus calls out to God.
It is a reminder that we all have experienced moments where we found ourselves crying out to God knowing that the inevitable was coming. Maybe a family member has learned they have a terminal illness, perhaps there’s a looming foreclosure of your house or the end of a marriage. Whatever it is, we all have agonized about the inevitable and wallowed in despair.
Jesus teaches us what to do in these moments.
saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” -Luke 22:42
Jesus starts the prayer with ‘Father’, a term of endearment and respect. He reminds us that God is our Father, in moments like these when we are struggling with the inevitable. He is our Father when death is looming and afterward. He is always our Father.
‘Remove this cup from me’ could be a reference to the burden of our sins on him. Perhaps it was knowing that the time had come and death was near.
‘yet not My will, but your be done’ Jesus notes that if it were up to him he would not take on this burden. He emphasizes that is not his will but God’s will that he is submitting to. He tells God what he would like but accepts God’s decision. How many times have we fought against the inevitable? How many times have we decided to remain in denial? By acknowledging what we want yet submitting and surrendering to God’s will Jesus is showing us how to respond in these desperate moments in our own lives.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. – John 3:16
When thinking about the inevitable in your life, think of Jesus’ profound prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane and be reminded of how to pray to God.
