They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." - Mark 14:32-36 (NIV)
Do you know that experience where you read or hear something a million times and then one day you read/hear it again and all of a sudden notice something completely new?
I had that experience recently with regard to the above verse - specifically in the words that Jesus prays. I guess I only really payed attention to the "not what I will, but what you will" part before. I think I figured it was the part we were supposed to pay attention to. (It's also worth noting that the prayer is not recorded the same way across the four gospel books.)
Recently however, I was struck by the first two sentences of this prayer.
"Abba, Father, everything is possible for you."
True confessions? Sometimes I try to prop up my weak faith by making excuses for God. I tell myself that the reason that God doesn't answer all my prayers or the reason a horrible, evil thing is allowed to happen, is that God has put limitations on Himself in order to allow free will, or something along those lines. I am not a theologian and there are probably all kinds of things theologically wrong with that thought. But I honestly don't even need to hear those more educated reasons because deep down I already know this "excuse" is flawed. I know it, because I see evidence to the contrary every day. God thwarts the will of mankind all the time. The Bible is full of these stories.
In this prayer, Jesus, without any sort of disclaimer or conditional statements, claims all things as possible for God. And who would know better what God is capable of than God Himself?
But it's the pairing of that first sentence with the second that gets me.
"Take this cup from me."
Do you know what I see now when I read this passage of Scripture?
I see a dearly loved only child, coming to his father, in deep distress and agony. He knows the horror that awaits him in just a few short hours. He know his father knows too.
I know you can save me from this, he states. I'm asking you to save me from this.
What must Jesus have felt when praying that prayer? What must God the Father have felt in hearing it? And more, what must He have felt in answering it? Because we all know what answer He gave.
I read this prayer, and I think back through so many of the prayers I have prayed in my lifetime. I think in particular of some of the more desperate prayers, the ones where I felt deeply distressed and overwhelmed with sorrow. And I think of the pain and agony of not having that prayer answered by Someone I know had the power to save. He could have said yes. All things are possible for Him.
And now I read this prayer and I think, even in this, He went before me. Even this pain, for my sake, He knows.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. - Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV)
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." - Mark 14:32-36 (NIV)
Do you know that experience where you read or hear something a million times and then one day you read/hear it again and all of a sudden notice something completely new?
I had that experience recently with regard to the above verse - specifically in the words that Jesus prays. I guess I only really payed attention to the "not what I will, but what you will" part before. I think I figured it was the part we were supposed to pay attention to. (It's also worth noting that the prayer is not recorded the same way across the four gospel books.)
Recently however, I was struck by the first two sentences of this prayer.
"Abba, Father, everything is possible for you."
True confessions? Sometimes I try to prop up my weak faith by making excuses for God. I tell myself that the reason that God doesn't answer all my prayers or the reason a horrible, evil thing is allowed to happen, is that God has put limitations on Himself in order to allow free will, or something along those lines. I am not a theologian and there are probably all kinds of things theologically wrong with that thought. But I honestly don't even need to hear those more educated reasons because deep down I already know this "excuse" is flawed. I know it, because I see evidence to the contrary every day. God thwarts the will of mankind all the time. The Bible is full of these stories.
In this prayer, Jesus, without any sort of disclaimer or conditional statements, claims all things as possible for God. And who would know better what God is capable of than God Himself?
But it's the pairing of that first sentence with the second that gets me.
"Take this cup from me."
Do you know what I see now when I read this passage of Scripture?
I see a dearly loved only child, coming to his father, in deep distress and agony. He knows the horror that awaits him in just a few short hours. He know his father knows too.
I know you can save me from this, he states. I'm asking you to save me from this.
What must Jesus have felt when praying that prayer? What must God the Father have felt in hearing it? And more, what must He have felt in answering it? Because we all know what answer He gave.
I read this prayer, and I think back through so many of the prayers I have prayed in my lifetime. I think in particular of some of the more desperate prayers, the ones where I felt deeply distressed and overwhelmed with sorrow. And I think of the pain and agony of not having that prayer answered by Someone I know had the power to save. He could have said yes. All things are possible for Him.
And now I read this prayer and I think, even in this, He went before me. Even this pain, for my sake, He knows.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. - Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV)
2 comments:
Oh, how you bless me. Thanks for sharing this insight and thanks for letting me see the heart of God in you. I love you. Mom
When are you going to write your book?!? :) You (and Peter) have a GIFT with words--and with taking scripture and making it come alive. I always love reading what you write.
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