By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
Luke 22:41-42 “He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”NIV
Well knowing the amount of pain and suffering that lay ahead of Him, and being human with feelings, Jesus was so overwhelmed emotionally. He had earlier expressed the weight of the burden to the disciples saying, “… My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point if death. Stay here and keep watch with me”(Matt 26:38). His disciples unfortunately failed. He was in such agony that He did not only sweat in prayer in that cold night, but His sweat even turned to drops of blood!(Luke 22:44). Such was the untold intensity!
One part of Him felt it was too much to bear that pain and wished it could be taken away. He even said He had power to call for more than 12 legions of angels to come to His rescue, but didn’t. Yet He knew the will of the Father was for Him to go through it to accomplish the purpose of saving man. So, Jesus surrendered His will to that of the Father — all for our salvation. He was faithful to His Father to death!
The accomplishment of our God given purpose in this life will many times require that we surrender our human will and take on God’s. It takes commitment, loyalty to do it. Jesus urged us to be faitful even to death, if we are to recieve the crown of life (Rev 2:10). He is telling us to do what He Himself did. This may not be easy on our own, but He supplies the grace to do it.
Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Shalom children of God.