Friday, January 31, 2014

Thy Will Be Done...


"Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me;
yet not my will but yours be done." -- Luke 22:42

This quotation of Jesus comes from his praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Imagine the scene.  He's shared the Passover meal with his friends, his disciples.  He's predicted his betrayal, not only by Judas but by all of his disciples. 

Now he's gone a "stones throw" further to pray about what's about to happen.  He's in anguish and pain.  So much so, Luke tells us, " In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground."  
NOW THAT IS SERIOUS pain and praying!

I grew up studying this scene depicted in stained glass.  There it was in beautiful color (save the blood) right above the preacher's head.  Framed between the pipes of the organ, Jesus knelt praying in earnest in the garden, "Thy will be done!"

But wait, too quickly we run to the "Thy will be done" submission part of Jesus' prayer.

Jesus asks a hard question of God, "If you are willing..."  


IF, how many times have we prayed that prayer... "IF, God, ... IF??"  If you are WILLING...
It's the same phrase the man with leprosy said in Luke 5:12-13,
While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Now the same prayer is on Jesus' own lips as he prays, "Lord, if you are willing, let this cup pass from me."

It's a good prayer, a faithful prayer, a prayer we need to pray everyday... "Lord, if you are willing..."

Perhaps the better question is:
Are we willing?
Are we willing to share with God our fears and doubts, our needs and pain?

Jesus does, so should we!  Job does; he doesn't hold back.  Neither does the writer of the Psalms; read Psalm 22. Nor does Jeremiah; see Jeremiah 20:7-11.

So let us too be honest with God in our prayers.

Then and only then, can we move to join Jesus in praying, "Thy will be done."

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