"Father ... take this cup from me," prayed Jesus in Gethsemane.
We see Jesus struggling with the will of God, because Jesus feared the wrath of God as a result of the sin of mankind. He wished to avoid the path of suffering, to escape the cup of wrath. Scripture tells us about the anguish and pain of the struggle: "his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." It's only human to fear God’s anger and judgment. Who among us, if healthy, welcomes suffering? Don't forget, Jesus was (and is) human just like you and me. And, in every healthy person exists the urge to continue life and to avoid death. Jesus also wanted to live, he didn’t want to suffer, he feared the terror of an Almighty God’s wrath and punishment for our sins.
What did Jesus do as he struggled with the will of God? Jesus prayed alone and he prayed on his knees - with humility and obedience: (Lk 22:42) "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
Jesus prayed that God's will be changed and he prayed that God's will be done.
But after struggling with God in prayer, he was ready to enter upon the road to the cross and to follow it to the bitter end. After fighting fear and anguish in prayer, he actively accepted the will of God and decided to willingly drink the cup of God's wrath. Why? Why? Why would he have done this? Why would this have been God's will for him?
It's for us! Jesus willingly drank the cup of God’s wrath for us. He drank it in our place. It should have been us drinking from God's awful cup. Instead, it was Jesus who drained it to the dregs.
Oh what a blessing – never to fear the anger and judgement of a holy God again!
“Lord Jesus, we can face a new week knowing that on our knees, when we humbly seek your will, your strength will be our strength, because you drank the cup of judgement to make us righteous in your Father’s sight. Your loving, merciful will be done, your glorious kingdom come – also in my life!”
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