It Was Hard For Jesus Too

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Mark 14:32 - 42 NIV

Gethsemane

32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36"Abba,Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41 Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

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Jesus' prayer highlights the terrible suffering he had to endure - an agony so much more magnified because He had to take on the sins of the whole world.  This "cup" was the agony of alienation from God, His Father, at the cross (Hebrews 5:7-9).  Jesus was aware of what doing the Father's Will would cost Him.  He understood the suffering He was about to encounter, and He did not want to have to endure the horrible experience.  But Jesus prayed, "Yet I want Your Will, not mine."

How many times have you asked God, "Please take this away from me!!!"  Whether it's a desire, a hard situation, a habit, a feeling, a person(s), a responsibility...  In this moment, Jesus asked just that.  He took the time to express His true feelings to God, but He did not deny or rebel against God's Will.  He reaffirmed His desire to do what God wanted.


When we ask God to take something away from us, do we ever consider His Will?  What He may have purposed through the situation that we're going through?


I believe this may be a huge hindrance for us today.  In this, "ME" generation, we are often primarily concern with our own will, what we want; and sometimes we substitute our will for His, when we aren't clear of God's Will in the situation.  There are no substitutes family, God's Will is why we exist.  Sure, we are often unclear about the purpose of our current situation but we know God's overall Will, His Word is very clear.  So why don't we concentrate on what we do know...

Anything worth having costs something.  The sinless Son of God took on our sins and was separated for a while from God so that we could be eternally saved.  We must be willing to pay whatever the price to gain what is priceless - the reward we're building in eternity.  Let's follow Jesus and commit to God's Will in the midst of our suffering.  Don't allow our sufferings to defeat us into not fulfilling our purposes.  It will be hard at times, we will suffer - but because of Jesus, we will NEVER be alienated by God; we are not going through it alone.  Thankfully, just like Jesus, WE HAVE THE VICTORY!


Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 1:6,7; they are the perfect words for Your message today.  Praise be to You, Father of our LORD Jesus, Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.  If we are distressed, it is for Your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in us patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.  And our hope for You is firm, because we know that just as You share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

I know I am allotted a certain amount of suffering in this world, whether it is suffering for Your sake or just the common suffering related to being human.  People I love die; people I love continuously hurt me; supporting my family is hard or impossible; and in the end, I must come to grips with my own mortality.

But I do not let suffering overcome me or totally overshadow the joys of life, for I know You are with me in my deepest need, carrying me through the hard times safely to the other side.

Please be with those who are suffering today, Father.  Give them the hope to carry on, knowing the victory is theirs through Christ our LORD.  Amen.


- All prayers provided by TGN are just starters; please allow your heart and the Holy Spirit direct your words to God; and pray in the Name of Jesus.  There is power in that Name!  Amen!