Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Thursday, April 7, 2016
“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:41–42).
It’s not easy yielding your power position to someone else, especially when yielding means privation or pain.
Jesus’ entire mission to earth was about submitting to His Father’s decisions for the benefit of humanity. Were it not, He need not have gone to the trouble of experiencing miraculous birth, living a difficult life, or dying a ignominious death. But because He loves all of us so much and wants to have our companionship forever, Jesus fully cooperated with the Father and the Spirit on their mission of mercy to save us from our sins.
There were few times this reality was more palpable than when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had lived 33 ½ years among us, and though He only did good things for us, so many disrespected and abused Him. And while our eternal lives hung in the balance, as Jesus contemplated swallowing His bitter pill of affliction, He prayed. He asked His heavenly Father if there was another way to accomplish the mission besides enduring the cruel cross and separation from Him in death. With no other way in sight, Jesus ultimately resigned Himself to relinquish His own will to the Father for our benefit.
As the story continues with Jesus emerging from His agonizing prayer session, His resolve was strengthened to cooperate with the plan they made in eternity past. He would not allow difficulty, pain, trials, or foreboding deter Him from His goal.
Since Jesus was willing to give His life for you, are you willing to surrender your will to Him?
