Luke 21-22

Luke 22:39-46, focusing on verse 42:
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

In the beginning of that section, Jesus went to his usual place of solitude to the Mt. of Olives...the gospel of Mark says the location is the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32). Reminds me of that familiar image of Jesus praying alone, looking up towards heaven. Knowing that Jesus always took time out of his busy ministry to have one on one with God challenges us to have that special time and place to be real with God and earnestly pray.

What did Jesus pray about? Jesus just had the last supper with his disciples and knew his time was coming very soon so he must have had a lot on his mind. He prayed verse 42. In other gospels, Jesus addressed God as Abba Father, which indicates a very close intimate relationship. Jesus emphasizes God's will be done...acknowledging God's purposes are higher than his and will prevail. Jesus requests probably with much emotion/sorrow that the cup of suffering he will have to endure of taking on the sins of this world/our sins be taken away from him. But Jesus ends with God's knows best and God's will be done...that whatever comes to pass would be OK with his soul. what a simple yet intense prayer.

To realize what Jesus went through right before going to the cross is eye opening...that he came to the Father in anguish and was real with God. May we come to God more often just as we are and have a one on one with God.

Joy