Many people describe Jesus' experience in the Garden of Gethsemane as a time of great testing, and this is true. Many say He didn't want to go to the cross and that is why He asked that this bitter cup be taken away from Him, and this is true. While both are reasonable explanations for what we read about in the four gospels, I have to wonder if this is all there is to it. I say this because I believe that everything Jesus did was to be an example for us. And I believe with all my heart that this experience is no different.
The Gethsemane experience shows us how we are to respond in times of great testing. In times when we feel like everyone we have loved and held dear has forsaken us. Times when the enemy's advance is both direct and out in the open.
And so I ask, what is the lesson for us in this experience? What are we to do in times like this? We are to pray, of course! We are to pray and ask God to remove that which has us low in spirit. But here's where it gets tricky. You see after we make our request, we are to respond as Jesus did. We are to end this same prayer with these words, "nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done."
Seems easy enough right?Wrong! Especially when the prayer is a matter of life and death: death of the body or death of a relationship. I mean honestly, can you, like Christ say, though I've asked for my healing on this side, I will accept your will to do on the other side.
I don't know if you are following me right now, but we like Job have to havemade up in our mind that we will accept both the good and bad God has for us. We have to have purposes this in our hearts before the test because sometimes God does not remove the bitter cup. Sometimes His answer to our prayers will be no and our response to that no will testify of our heart's condition.
Will you respond as Jesus did? Will you go quietly to the place He has for you or will you go kicking and screaming.
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
Isaiah 53:7 KJV
“The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:”
Acts 8:32 KJV
Beloved it is my prayer that you receive have a made up mind. That you have purposed in your heart to take the good, the bad and the ugliness of your path. That you will hold fast and stand on the testimony Paul in Romans 8:28.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
