GETHSEMANE

Garden of Gethsemane

One of the most meaningful and powerful moments on any trip to the Holy Land of Israel is a visit to the Garden of Gethsemane.  Today was that day with the 27 of us who are traveling together.

There are so many important messages and lessons for us at the Garden.

There's really no better example of a person submitting His own will to the will of the Father than what happened right here.  As Jesus kneels and prays, it's just a matter of moments until Judas and some soldiers come to arrest Him.  Jesus is led away and ultimately and unjustly tried, convicted, beaten and nailed to a cross.

He doesn't want that, right?
That isn't His will, right?
He can't be looking forward to that.  Right?

But He prays to His Father: 'Not My will, but Yours be done.'

Because it isn't until we begin praying that prayer that we can truly begin to understand and know God's will for us.

It seems a lot of us would say, "I'm doing that.  I've submitted myself to God."  But what we often mean by that is, 'God, I want what You want for my life, as long as what You want is what I want.'

And we keep asking until finally we're pretty sure God wants what we want and that's really what He wanted all along.

And if it just so happens that what God wants for you is almost always what you what for you, then maybe this prayer Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane is one you need to start praying more:  'God, I want what You want even if what I want doesn't match up.'

What if we started praying that kind of prayer and it turns out God's plan is different than our plan?

'Not my will but Yours be done.'

Well, it will be.  You'll find that it is.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 - 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.'

So you and I should pray: 'Not my will, but Yours ... not my will, but Yours ... not my will, but Yours.'  And keep praying that until it is.

What decision are you asking God for right now that you feel He hasn't let you in on yet?

Not my will, but Yours be done.

At the Garden of Gethsemane ... 

Be blessed.