One of the most poignant scenes in the life of Christ occurs in the Garden of Gethsemane. We see the fullness of Jesus’ humanity as he cries out to his Father and asks if there is a different way, a way to save the world without sacrificing his life on the cross. He calls out to His Father not once, not twice, but three times. He prays, “I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Matthew 26:39).
Kneeling on the ground, face pressed into the dirt, Jesus prayed. In our own moments of crisis or pressure, is our natural reaction to fall to our knees in prayer? My natural reaction is often to run away from the fiery furnaces, to try to speed through the deserts. I fill the silence with noise. But the greatest lesson in this scene is Christ’s willingness to endure what is to come if it is the will of his Father.
The last days of Jesus’ life demonstrate the beauty of the transformation that occurs when we submit to the will of God. He cried out to God (Mark 14:35). He surrendered his will (Matthew 26:42). He believed the promise that his death would bring us life (Psalm 22). He asked his community to be with him in the midst of trial (Matthew 26:46). He submitted to God’s will, even on the cross and, three days later, he rose from the dead (Mark 15:34; 16:6). May we, too, be people who cry out, who surrender, who believe God’s promises, who rely on our community, and fully submit to God’s will.
Bianca Juarez Olthoff is the author of Play with Fire: Discovering Fierce Faith, Unquenchable Passion, and a Life-Giving God (Zondervan). She is also the Chief Storyteller for The A21 Campaign and the Creative Director for Propel Women.
