30-Aug-2024 – What is your Gethsamane?
Matthew 26:39
“And He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.'”
This verse is well-known to any believer, whether new or seasoned. It captures the final prayer Jesus offered before being taken for the proceedings that led to His crucifixion. Jesus was filled with a heavy heart and asked the Father to remove this burden, yet He ultimately submitted to God’s will in prayerful surrender.
Matthew 26:38
“Then He said to them, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.'”
From this verse, we see that Jesus was deeply sorrowful, expressing that His burden was nearly overwhelming Him to the point of death. But does this mean that Jesus feared death? Not at all. There are two key things to consider here:
First, Jesus was about to fulfill the will of the Heavenly Father. He was entering the final stages of completing His Father’s business. He was on the brink of ushering in a new era of freedom for those who believe in Him. The battle against Satan and death was about to culminate in a glorious victory. These are all positive things before Him, as He knew the purpose of His coming to earth.
Second, this glorious work would come at the cost of being temporarily cut off from the Father. He knew that the Father would raise Him from the dead. Jesus’ fear wasn’t about death itself, but rather the pain of being separated from the unity He shared with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The burden of the sins of the entire world was upon Him, and God would see Him as sin, rather than as the Son.
That is why He was full of sorrow. When Jesus asked for the cup to be removed, He wasn’t referring to the death on the cross, but to the separation from the Father and the Holy Spirit. In other words, God was willing to endure this pain, even at the cost of His identity, to give us a new identity in Christ.
In the mission and calling God has given us, no matter what situations arise, we must remain focused on God’s will or His revealed purpose. To accomplish God’s will, we may have to give up our most cherished things, relationships, or other valuables. But we must be prepared to do so.
If Jesus Himself needed to pray to realign with His purpose and calling, how much more do we need to pray? Our family, friends, job, money, and many other things are essential for social life. Family, after all, is a gift and blessing from God; a career is a blessing from God; good friends are a blessing from God, and a comfortable life is a blessing from God. But to fulfill the ultimate purpose of our calling, we must be ready, just like Jesus, to sacrifice even the most valuable things in life. You too have a Gethsemane.
Prayer
Dear loving Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and grace. Thank You for teaching us today about the importance of submitting to Your calling, even at the cost of sacrificing what is most valuable in life. Help us, Lord, to be committed to Your service, just as Jesus was. I pray in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen!
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