Mark 14:32-36 – Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray." And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch." He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." (NKJV)

Several years ago, I found myself in Jerusalem in the most beautiful, fragrant garden I'd ever seen. Our guide claimed that it was where Jesus had spent His last free hours in prayer, and where the chosen disciple, Judas, had betrayed the Lord with a kiss. I was filled with wonder that Jesus chose this spot. Did the heady fragrance in the air soothe His anguish? I don't know, but it soothed me. You see, I was sick. I'd contracted some sort of flu-like illness on the plane from Canada to Israel. Yet, I didn't want to miss one moment of this once-in-a-lifetime trip. So there I was in the garden, sick and suffering … but not nearly as much as Jesus did.

Our Lord underwent such agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, with much more to come, and He did it for me and for you. As we remember Jesus' sacrifice during this holy week, let us learn from our Lord's prayers in the garden. "Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."

In truth, when we pray according to God's will, our prayer of faith delights God. Nothing delights Him more than for us to agree with His holy will. When we pray, "Lord Jesus, we pray in Your name — according to Your will", our faith delights Him. So let us pray with confidence that God delights in hearing from us.

Thought: Prayers offered according to God's will never fail.

Prayer: Father God, our deepest desire is to agree with Your will as Jesus Christ agreed with Your will. May we never be willful, but always seek to do Your will, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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About the author:

Cassandra Wessel <casswessel4319@gmail.com>
Tionesta, Pennsylvania, USA
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