Text: Matthew 26:36-46, Philippians 2:8
While the image of Jesus hanging on the cross is truly agonizing, it is somehow the account of the Garden of Gethsemane that grieves me deepest. It is here, with Jesus on His hands and knees, weeping and pleading with God, that I feel the fullness of His humanity and the depth of His sacrifice. It is in this garden that I feel the weight of His suffering at my hands.
He made His way into the garden, away from the disciples, and He prayed, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39; NIV)
It’s hard for us to wrap our believing hearts around Jesus asking to be spared the Cross – the very purpose of His incarnation. But He puts an asterisk on His very human request by declaring His obedience at any cost.
Throughout the Old Testament, “the cup” is used as a metaphor for God’s judgment and His wrath, as in Isaiah 51:17: “You have drunk the cup of the Lord’s fury. You have drunk the cup of terror, tipping out its last drops” (NIV). So when Jesus prays about avoiding the cup, He’s fully aware of what He is about to do by going to the cross: He is drinking the cup of God’s wrath. Yes, He’s taking on the physical agony of the cross, but He is also taking on the spiritual agony of separation from His loving father. And that separation is the pain that is breaking Him down in the garden.
But without missing a beat, He prays on.
“Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
And this is where I am convicted for all the times I complain about my own “suffering” in this life.
“Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
And this is where I am made keenly aware of my foolish attempts to build my own plans for my life.
“Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
And this is where I stop rushing through the Lenten season to get to the glorious celebration on Easter morning. The garden is where I pause to hear His sobs and His prayers. It’s where I see that cup we poured so violently spilling over. And it’s where I thank Him for His willingness to drink every last drop of it. For me.
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68 thoughts on "the cup"
I disagree, look at http://indulgy.com/post/CoM01bz4z3/dare-to-try-something-nontraditional-you-bette
Sincerely, Marie
I disagree, read: https://mizzmoxie.wordpress.com/tag/cupshe-reviews/ Diana
I don’t agree, look at https://thespazmatazz.com/2016/08/09/cupshe-a-public-service-announcerant/ Friendly, Estella
I disagree http://everwindingroad.com/2016/07/25/tea-party-fun-at-lovejoys/
Friendly, Lavone
I don’t agree. Read that http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/07/bill-cosbys-accusers-speak-out.html
I don’t agree. Look at that http://mobile.yesnetwork.com/news/article/2015/06/23/132345662
I disagree, read
https://www.disneybaby.com/blog/the-cup-matters-disney-baby-sippy-cups-by-the-first-years/
Sincerely, Rubie
I don’t agree, look at http://kingdomofstyle.typepad.co.uk/my_weblog/2010/11/simplicity-is-the-ultimate-sophistication.html
I disagree. Read that
https://cruxnow.com/commentary/2016/06/07/christians-must-make-mercy-mandate-way-life/
Kirstin
I don’t agree. Look at
http://thoughtcatalog.com/mila-jaroniec/2011/09/10-things-that-happen-in-a-lesbian-relationship/
Friendly, Roberto
I disagree: http://www.disneybaby.com/blog/the-cup-matters-disney-baby-sippy-cups-by-the-first-years/ Friendly, Willette
I disagree
http://www.realitytea.com/2010/08/19/bravo-housewives-bethenny-frankel-michaele-salahi-show-off-bikini-bodies-reveal-diets/
Best regards, Olympia
Lord, let the gravity of your sacrifice settle deeply into my heart.
You drank that cup so I may be a new, beautiful creature in Christ.
How often I fall into old habits, believing that cup of wrath is for me… not trusting that You've already drowned every drop.
Abbygyll,
I agree. Satan deceives and slithers through whichever crack he can to distort the truth, even unbeknownst to the believers!
This hit home!!!
Just want to commend/share/correct/rebuke something in this lesson. I love you all sisters but I cannot let the devil hide the truth from all of you.
The bible tell us that as iron sharpens iron so does man sharpens one another. And it is also written that we should be accountable for every member in the Family of Christ.
Sisters, we should STOP calling the RESURRECTION SUNDAY, EASTER SUNDAY.
God is a jealous GOD.
Easter or “Ishtar” is a pagan God.
“We know that the Bible tells us in John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
The truth is that the forty days of Lent, eggs, rabbits,hot cross buns and the Easter ham have everything to do with the ancient pagan religion of Mystery Babylon.These are all antichrist activities!
Satan is a master deceiver, and has filled the lives of well-meaning, professing Christians with idolatry.
These things bring the wrath of God upon children of disobedience, who try to make pagan customs of Baal worship Christian.
You must answer for your activities and for what you teach your children.”
For more info: pls read…
http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/tracts/tract1.html
We should start calling it RESURRECTION SUNDAY.
Just want to share this WISDOM GOD has revealed to us. BLESS YOU ALL SISTER.
BE SET FREE.
http://youtu.be/TkROLJjYCpo – That is a link to the garden scene in the movie "The Passion of the Christ." Very heavy – hits this mornings devo home.
"The garden is where I pause to hear His sobs and His prayers. It’s where I see that cup we poured so violently spilling over. And it’s where I thank Him for His willingness to drink every last drop of it. For me." Beautiful words to follow beautiful scripture. The only words I have left to add are "Thank you, Lord. I love you." Amen
Jesus in his humanity pleads with God to take away the bitter cup, yet even through his pain he is obedient and doesn't walk away from his destiny. When reading this passage I have always questioned myself, If I knew that I was going to be torturted and crucified will I have the strenght to go on with it? I think not, is only through God's great love and Jesus full obedience that he was able to get it done. That Jesus was able to do the ultimate sacrifice in order to free us from the sin that seperated us from God.
I love Jesus response in Mathew 26: 53-54 "don't you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did how would the scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now? How great is Jesus, he had the power to ask God for help to give up, but instead to prefers to wait on God and to do his will even if that meant dying on the cross. Glory to him for doing the things that we fall short of doing. Our God is awesome and his love for us is unconditional!
How beautiful! What I love is that Jesus prays this three times. God's answer–silence. He doesn't take the cup away because it was the only way. Thank You, Father, for answering "no." And thank You, Jesus, for Your continued obedience even to death.
This takes my breath away. Jesus is love. I will love you forever Lord.
As I said above, the idea of being separated from the Father, as Jesus was for us, really resonated with me. Being close to and abiding in Christ is the most important thing in this life, completely abiding in Him, the biggest promise of the next one; being separated from God is hell, and hell on earth when we pursue sin instead of God, distancing ourselves from Him and His will for our lives. Knowing that Jesus went through this struck me anew and made me weep. I've tended to focus so much on his physical pain, when as Sarah said, "that [spiritual] separation is the pain that is breaking Him down in the garden." He felt the anguish, the sorrow, the entirety of pain we feel when we walk away from God in pursuit of ourselves, and more so, He paid the price of the true, eternal death we face for all of these actions. He became momentarily separated so that We could be forever united with God. Lord, help me to truly sit on this more and truly soak up the gravity of it.
Tiptoe by Imagine Dragons (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajjj4pLnjz8) has always reminded me of how everyone fell asleep in the garden when Jesus prayed. The song makes me cry as I realize that my spirit is willing, yet my flesh is weak, and it's the song in my head as I read now. It reminds me of Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard too, being that the Good Shepherd asks us to climb these mountains with Him (sometimes tiptoeing), up from the valley of death and sin and into the valley of real, abundant life. These lyrics really resonate, always, and I hope the way they sound in the song somehow resonates with all of you as well:
"I won't fall asleep,
I won't fall asleep… (said as if the eyelids are already getting droopy)
Hey yeah, don't let them know we're coming (brings me to that secret place of intimacy with Christ, no one knows THIS place, here)
Hey yeah, tiptoe higher (up the mountain)
Take some time to, simmer down, keep your head down low (as I have to do at times; I fall and sin gets in the way, but that doesn't mean I can never get up and keep climbing again; I keep my head down low under the shadow of His wings, grace and mercy)
… Nobody else can take me higher. (x4)"
I pray your will for my life, Father. I have decided to use this week to thank God for Jesus' sacrifice for me. I'm not asking him for a single thing for myself, just thanking Him and praising and seeking His help for my loved ones who may be sick, hurting, afflicted, grieving, etc. I have been so full these past few days just thinking about how Jesus took up the cross. Wow! So poignant and powerful are the visuals.
"My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."
Lord, give me the faith to pray those words, even when I don't feel them.
Lord, give me the faith to pray those words, even when I am afraid.
Lord, give me the faith to pray those words, even when I feel like what You are calling me to is more than I can bear.
Amen.
I was just thinking about that song today, too. What a beautiful representation of these verses.
"Yet, not as I will, but as You will" Powerful words, all-knowing words, wise words; Words that I, as a human, have a hard time offering up. but words that lead to true peace and joy.
I once listened to a testimony of a woman dying of cancer, who had asked God over and over again for healing, yet for His will to be done. And God revealed to her that the healing actually was a short term fix; that our main ideal is life everlasting with our Lord in heaven. This was made possible by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, by this cup that He purposely drank. Short term fixes don't hold up, but this supreme sacrifice, all done under our omnipotent Father, is our long term grace.
Let me fix my eyes upon this very cross, where His perfect love is displayed so faithfully for me, for us. All through the very good will of God.
How I praise Him today and always.
Amen. Lord let Your will be done in my life. My life is not my own, its to you that it belongs this morning. Take full control. Not my will, but Thy will be done. Amen.
Mark’s version (14:32-42 NEB) paints a dark picture—“horror and dismay came over Him”, “my heart is ready to break with grief,” and “ He went a little forward and threw himself on the ground.” In Mark, we see an agonizing, struggling Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus’ heart is broken because He knows what is to come, and the weight of what He will bear on that cross.
We all have these days where we struggle to even function. Often, we think that no one understands our pain, how could God even understand? The Garden of Gethsemane shows that Jesus understands our pain. He GETS it. He LIVED it, a thousand times over as he hung on that cross. When we are called to suffer and find ourselves lost in the fog of our grief and pain is when we draw closest to God. Through our suffering and pain, God draws us to those pierced hands on the cross.
As with you all, I was brought to tears by the revelations found in scripture this morning. The Word is alive and active, and this morning something jumped out at me like never before.
3x Jesus went away to pray – an area of my life I greatly struggle with.
3x Jesus asked them to keep watch and pray –
3x Jesus returned to find them sleeping and resting.
I replied to the Lord "Lord, how many times have you asked me to do something, only to return to find me sleeping or resting?"
Lord, forgive me for embracing the sense of urgency in your directives. Forgive me for sleeping and resting, when I should have been running the race You called me to. Lord, may you never call me to advance Your Kingdom, and return to find me sleeping or resting.
Sometimes I find myself only focusing on Jesus in the Garden, that I forget about the sleeping disciples. I forget that just as they were found sleeping, how many times has God found ME sleeping when He has given me a directive?
thank you for reminding me of this perspective–it's an important one : )
Oh you are humbly welcome. It was not a fun revelation to face, but it was the absolute truth for me. When I am overwhelmed or afraid – I sleep. When I am upset or angry – I sleep. When I am happy and content – I call it rest. I have run from His Call so many times it literally makes me sick. But God…He is so faithful. He reminded me that those same disciples that were found sleeping, were the same disciples who started His Churches. Their commission didn't end because of a nap – He forgave them and sent them on. AND they eventually did exactly what they were supposed to do all along. That brought me so much peace. I pray it speaks to you as well Jodi.
Matthew 26:36-46 highlights so many themes that I can relate to. Jesus prays in Gethsemane and takes two brothers along with him. He requested that they keep watch but what do they do? Fall asleep! Theme #1: Disappointment. I've been the disappointed and sometimes I've also been the one disappointing. Jesus is frustrated that after three times, his confidants were not there to keep watch.
Theme #2: Grief. Jesus asked, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." (NLT) passage right here tore me up. There are countless times in my life when I have cried out to the Lord and pleaded that he spare my Dad's life or heal the wounds of depression in my brother. I have asked God to take the cup of suffering away from my family and I. It's a prayer that you pray when you are in your lowest place. These words of Jesus shatter me and they remind me that He didn't want to suffer. He just wanted to see the will and the glory of God fulfilled. That's the sacrifice. I truly admire and honor Him for that.
Theme #3: Obedience. Although Jesus made a request to the Lord to take away the cup of suffering, He still pressed forward in faith of God's will. Again, truly remarkable strength.
Amen
i cant not think of needtobreathe's "garden" when i read these verses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li8aiGtNyZo
"it is here, with Jesus on His hands & knees, weeping & pleading with God, that i feel the fullness of His humanity & the depth of His sacrifice."
this is where i am reminded how foolish my complaining & my own plans are & how little i say or mean "not as i will, but as You will"
this is where i am reminded that it was & never is about me it is about Him.
this is where i am reminded that i need to be more like Him.
this is where I am reminded that my heart needs to be tuned to "not as i will, but as You will"
as the song the "garden" goes:
let the songs i sing
bring joy to you
let the words i say profess my love
let the notes i choose
be your favorite tune
Father let my heart be after you
sisters i pray our hearts would all be tuned to "not as i will, but as you will" today. love you!
Wow! This has brought a new perspective of the scriptures mentioned! Love it!!! Blessings!!
During our trip to Israel almost 4 years ago, it was the church of shadows in the garden that finally broke me down. The architecture combined with the Greek Orthodox Church service being held changed me. I have no idea what the woman was singing but I remember almost everything about being in highest place. And I feel I go there every Easter.
Side note: I don't think it was Jesus' purpose in life was to simply die As stated in the bible study. Of course I can't find the scripture but in Isaiah it says a teacher will come. And to me Jesus was 1st a teacher and leader not a human sacrifice. I feel the church has glorified His agony and death instead of being sad and mourning. We know what He did saved us but I can't live with the idea that God would solely send Jesus here to die. If That was the case why did He live for so long? Why not kill him ass a babe?
I agree, Shelby. He was definitely more than a sacrifice; he was God Incarnate, showing us, flawed humans, how to Be in everything He did. But, we could've never truly followed in His footsteps or taken on a life of following Him without our sin being forgiven by God by other means than animal sacrifice. We could never walk this road without Jesus' sacrifice; God had already shown us through Moses and through the Prophets what He actually desired, being our hearts (Micah 6:8, Joel 2:13, Isaiah 58), but it wasn't until Jesus that we were TRULY free of sin and bondage to do so. Because of that, I don't believe His death was ALL Jesus came here to accomplish, but it was the most important thing He came here to accomplish, and the 1st reason He did come. He's the Messiah, the Savior; if His reason for coming here wasn't most importantly to die for all the sins of the world, He'd be just another guru, rabbi, world-changing activist or prophet. Be blessed, sister. I'm glad you brought this up, I think it's really important to talk about!
I think what Jesus Himself said in Matt. 5:17 basically sums up what you are trying to say here, Shelby – "Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fufill." (NASB)
If He had come simply to abolish, he could have died as soon as He arrived, and met His purpose, but His purpose was more than that. The combination of the equally important years of his life and the days of his death were what fulfilled.
Thank you for this. It wrecked my world this morning. Life changing message.
Precious Lord Jesus…I am so sorry for what I put you through. Like Tina, I could not read this without weeping. Help me to be poured out for you too. If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now. Thank you so much for this moving devotion!
As I was lifting my cup (of morning coffee) I came to this part, "He is drinking the cup of God’s wrath. Yes, He’s taking on the physical agony of the cross, but He is also taking on the spiritual agony of separation from His loving father." And I thought, may I never lift my morning cup without thinking of this sacrifice.
Sarah thank you for leading us into the garden, painful as our part is, we must never forget that we were there — a cause to His suffering.
The idea of Jesus having to take on the spiritual agony of separation from His father really, really affected me. Hell is complete and total separation from God… and Jesus went through it ALL for us. The agony, the pain, the separation of being apart from your own self, God himself, whom Jesus was the son of, God Incarnate… Jesus, forgive me for all I did to put you through that time of separation from the Father, and for all the pain I put you through as I hammered those nails into your feet and hands. You took on that great pain because of Your Greater Love for Us. I pray that you'd quarry deeper in me, so that I'd be willing to go through even a glimpse of that pain out of love for You and for others more.
So very beautifully done, Sarah. My heart hurts this morning. I have been the complainer of "whys" of late…and I am not proud of it.
"Why is this happening NOW, God?"
"We don't deserve this, Lord!"
"What about this prayer, and that prayer, why were they not answered when they were NEEDS, not WANTS?"
Just when I remember everything that I have told others for years…to keep trusting God even when you don't understand…I seem to think it doesn't apply to me. He should ANSWER how I want!
God, forgive me! Even when I don't understand. It doesn't matter what I think, He sees all, down the road, behind the curtain, and knows what is best for me.
Not my will, but thine be done. Amen.
I can so relate to this. Not my will but yours be done. Why is that so hard to put in practice? The thought comes to me that He made us with a free will. And our enemy wants to grab that will and it is a constant fight . But thank you Jesus you ave done so much for me. Help me to be grateful in all circumstances. Wow, that is hard. Only with God walking beside me can I do that. Blessings for you today.
Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?”
When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”
I must admit I cried this morning when reading this passage. It hit me that there is a part of me that is as "lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire" My prayer today is that I always seek his will not mine, and that I can stand ready, waiting and willing for what he has planned me.
Beautiful. "But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?" …"There's a part of you that's eager, ready for anything in God. But there's another part that's as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire." Lord, forgive me for the times when the flesh in me is weaker than the spirit is willing. I pray that you'd keep me alert about temptation and keep my spirit willing, that I should not fall out of complacency.
It is so awesome that Jesus knows what is before him and yet gives himself over to the will of the Father. Of course, that's amazing and humbling that Jesus would do that forums who don't deserve it. But what also stands out to me is that Jesus is honest about how he is feeling and what HE wants. It's ok for me to pour out to God my desires, while acknowledging that ultimately his will is going to be done.
That's so important to remember, Janet… that while I shouldn't expect or demand that my desires would be met, I should lay them all out before Him and ask that His will would be done, knowing that He is fully good and fully loving no matter what happens to me. Praise you, Jesus.
Pray boldly
Approach the throne with confidence
Psalm 130:5 NIV
I wait for the Lord , my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Thank you for this beautiful reflection! It is good to be reminded that it is God’s will be done, not ours. Have a blessed Holy Week, ladies!
Not as I will, but as You will. Never does Christ seem more human to me than here. His prayers, His pleadings, are mine so often. But I forget the last line – almost every time. Or I pray it and don’t mean it. My cup is nowhere near as bad as His was. If He was willing to drink the cup of wrath that I deserve, can I not drink what He gives me in love?
Amen! Sometimes I forget that the hard things that the Lord allows to happen in my life are for my good…He is not capricious or mean-spirited. He allows situations in our life in love, because He desires the best for us – and the best is to be closer to Him. And sometimes it takes pain to get us there.
This reminds me of Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. He tells us to walk these paths that are sometimes encroached by fog, with the past, envy, and self-pity waiting nearby to attack and lie to us… trying to make us believe that this isn't God's path after all, or that He's evil for making us walk it… but when we call out, He reminds us that this is, in fact, the path, though difficult to walk, and that it's all purposed for us to get to the High Place He's called us to get to, one of victory and joy. The cup may look difficult, terrifying, and full of sorrow– but if it's the Lord's path, He's given it to us to bless us, indeed.
Amen! Our trivial suffering is nothing compared to what He experienced. This devo put everything into its proper perspective.
"And this is where I stop rushing through the Lenten season to get to the glorious celebration on Easter morning. The garden is where I pause to hear His sobs and His prayers. It’s where I see that cup we poured so violently spilling over. And it’s where I thank Him for His willingness to drink every last drop of it. For me."
…to hear his sobs and prayers…yes, the garden is where I most relate to Jesus in his humanity, too. How many times have I SOBBED and PLEADED with the Lord for things I thought were good/better for me? Yet Jesus, in his divinity, knew the cross was inevitable and fixed his eyes on the reward.
". . . . let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter o faith, who for the JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2
This song was brought to mind this morning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCPsZ-Vi6Ck
Thank you, Lord, Please keep my eyes open! Not my will but yours be done.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful song…love Matt Maher and had not heard this song.
Often when I read this passage, I focus on Peter and his lack of faithfulness. I am so pleased to have a new focus-the obidence and faithfulness of Lord Jesus. Knowing his own suffering and death-he dipped his toe into the humanity of fear of suffering but yet remained steadfast to God. Oh that I could be that obedient. Perhaps one hour awake at a time.
"Perhaps one hour awake at a time." Lord, let us in ALL things, from true pain to true blessing, stay steadfast to you. Keep me, keep us, close to you; guide and strengthen us to walk this path, climb these mountains that you've prepared for us to walk. No matter the suffering.
Still praying for you, sometimes hour by hour is the best way. God is there desperate to reach out to you. Like the prodigal sons father running with arms wide open. Sometimes we have to find what barriers we have put up in order to break them down X
it is somehow the account of the Garden of Gethsemane that grieves me deepest. It is here, with Jesus on His hands and knees, weeping and pleading with God, that I feel the fullness of His humanity and the depth of His sacrifice. It is in this garden that I feel the weight of His suffering at my hands……….I could not go any further before the tears came, the heart hurt, and the realization, after all these years, that,……I PUT JESUS ON THE CROSS! My sins, my sins, me…..we…..US….
I have never thought about the road to Calvary in this way……that I/ we/us and our heavy, full to overflowing, over weight suitcases, packed with all our sins, are the reason for this heartbreaking journey of Our Lord, on our behalf……I had never thought about it in this way…..I understood that Christ went through all this for me….that He saved me, through His death and resurrection, a picture came to mind as I write, ……a coin…two sides…. one the cross….the other, our suitcase full to overflowing with our sins…. ., the exchange, one for the other…..i hurt, my heart truly hurts….the penny drops……i am THE SINNER, and yet I walk free, because of this man, the carpenters son, God made man, who gave His life, in exchange for my sins, each and every day, He set me free, gave me a song to sing, PURCHASED me, with the exchange, with it came mercy, Grace freedom, hope….He bought me life…..by God's grace…. He bought me LIFE……
I am lost for words, …….I once was lost, but now…….now I am found, I was blind, took on board what I read and heard, but didn't LISTEN/SEE……but now I see….I see so so clearly the sacrifice of Jesus on my behalf, ….reminds me of the line…..did e're such love and sorrow meet…..Wow…I am floored….on my knees, …..
Through tear filled eyes, and a freed and repentant soul, Lord Jesus, I cry out ….THANK YOU…..Thank you for the exchange, you gave you life for me…. a sinner called by name…..Lord I pray that I stay humbly on my knees, for the rest of my days, in thanks and awe of what you have done, that I will everyday remember, I will everyday praise You for what you have done….THANK YOU JESUS….THANK YOU….
Grace, peace, love, joy be your blessings today, sister's, God be with you….x x x x
I so love this Tina. I could hear your desperation. I could see the Light-bulb go on. I could feel the agony that comes with the realization of what we did to Him. Oh my sweet friend, THAT is how much He loves you. While we were sinner, He chose the cross for us. He could have walked away and chose the simpler road, but He loves you so much that He chose to sit in the garden, knowing his betrayers were coming. He chose to carry the Cross and the savagery that came with it – all because He knew there was no other way. And now the Cross on our neck, becomes the reminder of not only His pain and agony, but of HIs great Love for us. Be blessed this day – and may you ever remember the revelation of this morning. My your love for Him be forever changed buy the revealing of His great love for you.
Tina, thank you so much for sharing. Now I feel Jesus' agony more than I did before. I feel the longing, sorrow, love, and I am moved to deeper repentance.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!!
Thank you for sharing Tina. I pray that I can come to that place of desperation the way you did. I want to be so wrecked by Him. Lord consume me!
"O Sacred Head Now Wounded" is one of my favorite songs. It gets me in the depths of my heart every time I sing or hear it. Thank you for reminding me of it :)
Absolutely gorgeously written. I too am always struck by this but it has touched me afresh this morning. We always pray for things to be taken away but how often do we truly say and mean that important last part. Not my will but yours.
Once again thank you for this beautiful lent preparation.
“Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
These words are what I need to hold onto this easter. To hold onto and know that God is in control. To know that I can get through anything if it is his will. To trust. To hope. To love and be loved. Thank you for the cross. Thank you #shereadstruth