"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done… And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." – Luke 22:42, 44 (NIV)
I need LOTS of tissues for films like The Passion of Christ (give me a Pixar, Disney, or Hallmark movie ANY day!). Passages in the Gospels, like the one above, also hurt my heart, soul, and spirit. For sure, they require even more tissues. I can’t comprehend Jesus’s human and holy struggle. I immediately turn to John 17:1-26 to remember that even in anguish, Jesus prays to his Father, followed by prayers for His disciples and all believers.
May we follow Jesus’ example of prayer when sorrowful, deeply distressed, troubled, and in agony. May we ask God if this is His Will, three times, and if the answer is yes, may we accept God’s Will in obedience as Christ did on the cross for you and me.
- Lydia Deem