2007-11-03 - Our Struggling Savior

The Prayers of Christ Series - Conclusion

With this devotional,we will wrap up (for now) the series on the Prayers of Christ.

Have you ever wrestled with God, when you didn't want to do what you believed was His wll? Have you ever wished that things could work out another way? I don't know anyone who would answer "no" to those questions. Perhaps this involves the serious illness of a loved one, the loss of a dream, the end of a treasured relationship.

Do you ever think that God can't possibly understand our pain, that He holds unrealistic expectations of us? If so, I hope that you will find comfort in remembering that we are not alone, and that in fact, God understands perfectly. Not only because He is omniscient (all-knowing), but God understands because Christ Himself struggled with what was ahead of Him, His impendent, torturous death.

Matthew 26 tells us:

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." ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." ³⁹ 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."

To me, the two most relevant points of verse 39 are: (1) Christ's frank prayer, His desire that if possible, He be spared what was ahead. But also (2) He did submit to God's will, even when it was excruciatingly painful - physically, spiritually and emotionally. Aren't we blessed, to follow a Lord who isn't removed from our pain, and who was so very human in this moment? I personally would find it difficult to follow a "god" who was far-removed from our reality. I hope you will join me in thanking God for giving us a Savior who is both human and divine.

Comments or Questions?
Jan

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http://www.cfdevotionals.org