Father, Take this Cup from Me
Matthew 26:36-39, NIV
Mark 14:32-36, NIV
Mark 14:35-36, The Message
Luke 22:39-44, NIV
In the Garden of Gethsemane, as these three accounts attest, Jesus asked his father to take away the cup - or, as The Message states, "get me out of this". Let's face it. His task was much more than His physical body could handle. Crucifixion was a horrible way to die, and it took many hours (sometimes days) to accomplish. And He knew what was coming. He knew that He would be crucified - and not for anything He had done. Rather, He would die for what we have done.
Though He knew his assigned fate was a necessary part of Salvation's Plan, He still asked that His Heavenly Father get Him out of this.
Many times, we are also faced with a task which we do not want to complete. This task may be something like visiting a sick person in the hospital or prison. Perhaps it's taking food to a family grieving the loss of a loved one. Or, maybe, we have to do the most horrible of all tasks: share Jesus' love with a lifelong friend who does not know Him. And, we, like Jesus, pray that God will get us out of this. We pray hard about it, just like Jesus, though it's not likely you have sweatdrops like blood.
But let's look at the rest of Jesus' prayer: "But please, not what I want—what do you want?" - Mark 14:36, The Message Did Jesus just try to bale out? No. He said, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it." See, Christ didn't just bale out. He acknowledged that this cup was going to be hard to swallow. He also acknowledged that drinking this cup was God's will and part of the Plan.
Perhaps we need to add that to our prayers when faced with an unsavory task. And, add this as well: "Please grant me Your strength and peace to complete this task in Your Holy Name." Asking for His strength in our daily struggles will assure us that we can complete His works. He has promised us this strength.
The Holy Spirit brings the promised strength. Through the Spiritual Gifts promised in scripture, Christ gives us strength to do our job. When we learn to completely trust in Him, we can completely surrender to Him and do the work He wants us to do.
Take this cup from me, but what I want is not important. Help me do whatYOU want me to do.
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 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."
Mark 14:32-36, NIV
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
Mark 14:35-36, The Message
Going a little ahead, he fell to the ground and prayed for a way out: "Papa, Father, you can—can't you?—get me out of this. Take this cup away from me. But please, not what I want—what do you want?"
Luke 22:39-44, NIV
Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, as these three accounts attest, Jesus asked his father to take away the cup - or, as The Message states, "get me out of this". Let's face it. His task was much more than His physical body could handle. Crucifixion was a horrible way to die, and it took many hours (sometimes days) to accomplish. And He knew what was coming. He knew that He would be crucified - and not for anything He had done. Rather, He would die for what we have done.
Though He knew his assigned fate was a necessary part of Salvation's Plan, He still asked that His Heavenly Father get Him out of this.
Many times, we are also faced with a task which we do not want to complete. This task may be something like visiting a sick person in the hospital or prison. Perhaps it's taking food to a family grieving the loss of a loved one. Or, maybe, we have to do the most horrible of all tasks: share Jesus' love with a lifelong friend who does not know Him. And, we, like Jesus, pray that God will get us out of this. We pray hard about it, just like Jesus, though it's not likely you have sweatdrops like blood.
But let's look at the rest of Jesus' prayer: "But please, not what I want—what do you want?" - Mark 14:36, The Message Did Jesus just try to bale out? No. He said, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it." See, Christ didn't just bale out. He acknowledged that this cup was going to be hard to swallow. He also acknowledged that drinking this cup was God's will and part of the Plan.
Perhaps we need to add that to our prayers when faced with an unsavory task. And, add this as well: "Please grant me Your strength and peace to complete this task in Your Holy Name." Asking for His strength in our daily struggles will assure us that we can complete His works. He has promised us this strength.
The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.- John 16:13-15, CEV
The Holy Spirit brings the promised strength. Through the Spiritual Gifts promised in scripture, Christ gives us strength to do our job. When we learn to completely trust in Him, we can completely surrender to Him and do the work He wants us to do.
Take this cup from me, but what I want is not important. Help me do what
posted by ClayMan at 1:02 PM
1 Comments:
Thank-you for this post. I was having difficulties in my attempts to fully understand this passage (“take this cup from me,”), your thoughts have definitely helped guide me in my understanding. I find that this passage is used often to present Christ (my savior) as simply a prophet (man) and not the son of god. Again thank-you, may the lord bless you and keep you.
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