Scripture Reading

Matthew 26: 36-46

Scripture Focus:

   "He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.  Stay here and keep watch with me.'  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 26:37-39)

Sometimes, when we pray, we ask for things we want but really don=t need.  Other times we ask that God take us out of a situation that is bringing us sorrow or pain.  We may ask Him to remove uncomfortable burdens, or stressful circumstances.  At times we make these requests with real pain and anguish in our hearts; wishing that the Father would truly remove this pain from us.

How often when we pray like this does Satan come along and try to make us feel guilty about asking God to remove some pain or sorrow from our lives?  Satan loves to remind us that maybe it is God=s will that we are going through this time of trouble.  And, even though we=ve ended our prayer with a sincere, ANot my will, however, but yours,@ Satan still tries to convince us that if we were really strong Christians we would never have asked in the first place.

But look here in these verses at Jesus as He prays to His Father.  Jesus was full of anguish, and depressed.  To the point of death.  Some people at this point have committed suicide.  In this overwhelming sorrow Jesus came and appealed to His Father=s intimate love.  He prayed ADaddy, please.@  He cried out in the very same way we cry out when the pain we are going through seems too much to bear.

Jesus.  The man who was without sin.  The man whose faith was complete.  It was this Jesus who still cried out to the Father in hopes that this sorrow could be removed from Him.  If Jesus could appeal to the Father with such emotion, asking Him to please provide another way, yet end His prayer with a sincere, Abut have your will,@ then so can we.   And we need not feel guilty for asking.