Chapter 26

"My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."  

        I am humbled by this statement Jesus made in His intimacy with God.  Jesus knew His destiny, His purpose.  Jesus came to the earth to bear the sins of the world on the cross.  His purpose was to give freedom through his sacrifice.  Instead of us paying the price for our sin, Jesus received the "cup" from God on the cross so that we would just have to let Jesus have full dominion in our lives instead.  The cup is referring to God's wrath.  All the wrath that would have been poured out on mankind for sin, poured out on Jesus on the cross.  Jesus was perfect.  I am a sinner.  And all my punishment was shown to Jesus.  If you are familiar with the Old Testament, you see the wrath of God displayed to many people who sinned against Him.  Yet, God said, 'That is enough.  Jesus is going to die and pay the price'.  I haven't gone into too much detail about this because the point I want to make in this article is this:  Jesus knew what was coming.  He knew the extent of his persecution.  He knew the magnitude of the pain He was going to bear.  He knew the depth of God's wrath that was coming.  Of course He wasn't fond of the idea- He was human!  What person could say, "Oh yes, God, please- bring it on! I can't wait!" No one.  Yet Jesus knew that the love of the Father was perfect.  And although Jesus didn't want to undergo what was coming {if it be possible, let this cup pass from me...} He also said, "Not as I will, but as you will."  Friends, this is crucial for us!  None of us is going to experience persecution and suffering as Jesus did, yet He was willing to submit to the Father's will.  Jesus could have gotten out of it.  He could have done the signs and wonders that the chief priests wanted Him to earlier in Matthew to prove who He was.  Jesus could have called out to the angels, and they would have come and demolished every single one of the people crucifying Him.  Heck, He could have just thought it and it would have been done- He doesn't need angels.  He could have proved Himself, but that's not His character.  Just like He doesn't need to prove Himself to you and me, He didn't do it to them either.  He is who He says He is, and that needs to be enough.  He knew what was coming, and yet He allowed God's will to be done.  As I said, none of us will ever go through what He did, yet some of us are so quick to run from God's plan because FOR SOME REASON we don't completely trust it!  What would have happened if Jesus didn't submit to God's plan, and fled?  I want you to honestly work that out in your mind.   Whose will are you living under?  Yours?  God's?  If God is perfect and you are not, what makes you think your plan is better than His?  Of course if we were in Jesus' predicament, not knowing the reason for his crucifixion, it would have been devastating, and more than likely you would have questioned God and fled.  But look at the purpose and plan God had!  We have freedom because of this event!  What puny thing compared to this are you struggling with submitting to God's rule and plan instead of yours?  I don't mean to offend you, but WHATEVER you are going through, it IS puny in comparison to Jesus going through what He did.  God's will is always perfect, therefore making it a much better choice for you to surrender to.  Put aside your plan, and let God do what He does best, in directing you, blessing you, and bringing you closer to Him.  Yes, sometimes we need to experience pain in order to receive His full blessing, and I don't always understand why, but I do know- from experience- that EVERY time I have went through suffering, I have been closer to God, grown more in Him and seen Him more clearly because of it.  
        I challenge you to spend some quiet time, right now, with your Father.  What do you need to surrender to Him?  Where are you still trying to hold the reigns?  Are you okay with His will- whatever that looks like? Be honest with Him, and do the best for yourself.  Surrender it all.

On Matthew Chapter 26

• Leanne