Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Listen to the Word

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”   (Luke 22:42)

Jesus’ prayer the night before his death reveals both his full humanity and his complete connection with God the Father. Jesus is honest about the fact that he doesn’t want to die. The first half of his prayer is basically, “Father, please don’t make me do this.” He knows that extreme pain and anguish are before him, and in his humanity he hopes for another way. But the second half of his prayer demonstrates that what he wants more than anything is to do what his Father wants him to do. Ultimately, he wants to do the will of the Father more than he wants to avoid suffering.

Jesus’ prayer can serve as a model for ours. God wants us to be honest with him about what we want. Prayer is not just a pious performance. Real prayer is truthful and transparent. We don’t have to hide our agenda from the Father. However, the deepest prayer doesn’t stop with telling God what we want – it leads us to surrender to what he wants. True prayer helps us to become people who desire and do the will of God.

Live the Word

Practice Jesus’ example of two-part prayer regarding something you are struggling with today. Tell God how you want things to go; then tell him what you really want is for things to go the way he wants them to go.