FRESH START TODAY – God, May your will be done! (Blog 49) August 14, 2012 by Lenni Nordloh Matthew 26:36-42, Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." NIV What is the message that Jesus shared with the world that is so very important? Jesus was troubled and He knew that prayer was needed at this time. He wanted to be close to the Father and He knew what was about to happen to Him. Was He afraid? He was sorrowful, troubled, but I do not believe He was afraid. His sorrow was deep to the point of death. He was human, but fully God. He cried out “God, not my will, but your will be done!” This cry was for men, women and children! He loves us! Jesus began the first steps towards giving humanity His grace and redemption. He would be crossing the barrier caused by human sin to bridge the gap between God and man. He would become the sin sacrifice once for all sin! Do you suppose the Father may have given Jesus the peace and strength that He needed to follow through with doing the will of God through time He spent in prayer? Why was Jesus silent and willing to allow humanity to torture Him? The strength of the powerful God enabled our Lord to endure more than any human being could endure and still live. He gave up His life willingly. Man did not kill Him! Man’s sin killed Him! Jesus asked an important question of Peter when He asked “could you not keep watch with me for one hour?” Could we watch and pray to God for one hour today? There is a spiritual benefit to praying this way and it is to keep us from falling into temptation. We gain the peace and strength that Jesus received. We begin to grasp and understand the will of God! There may have been a time that you were too frightened to surrender to God’s will and not your own. You will never be asked to sacrifice your life for the sins of the world. The one pure Lamb of God has already done that. You may be asked to leave your family to serve where God is working. You may be asked to teach a Bible Study Class when you have never done it before or never wanted to do something like this due to your shyness. You may not speak clearly, but the Holy Spirit through you can and will. Have you said things backwards in a conversation? Well, a confession is in order from my heart to yours, just recently, when I began to pray I started by saying “God, not your will, but mine”! God knew what my heart was really feeling, so He allowed me to say it out loud! The shock of what I said surprised me! This has stayed with me for several days and I keep asking myself “Am I truly wanting God’s will or my own?” Jesus said the “The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!” Do we really trust the heart of God? Do we understand that He desires the best for us, or do we think He just wants to punish us? Did Jesus really die for your sin? Jesus walked the path to the cross, so that we would see His love for us. Has He changed His mind? Can you say when you spend that hour in prayer that you see the love of Jesus penetrating your heart with His peace, strength and love? Maybe we can learn to pray “Not my will be done, but yours, God”. Do not be afraid, because a blessing is waiting to be revealed to you.