“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will’ ” (Matthew 26:39).
It’s difficult to comprehend the emotional and mental anguish of this moment in Jesus’ life. We all have faced tough situations but for the most part we don’t know how challenging they will be. We just take life as we find it and know that Jesus will see us through. I personally cling to Isaiah’s promise: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:2-3a).
With Jesus it was different. He knew exactly what He faced and had described the coming events specifically to His disciples. That made His prayer even more special. He chose God’s will in spite of the fact that He knew what it would cost Him.
That’s a model for each of us. No matter what we face, whether we know the future or not, God’s will is the best plan for us. Jesus not only saw the immediate future, He saw beyond it. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
If we can only see the final chapter of our lives we, too, will say confidently, “Not as I will, but as You will.” God always has our best interests at heart.
