The Prayer

 Luke 22: 41-46

“41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. 45 When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”

Jesus prayed that God remove the burden of crucifixion from Him.  Here we see the human side of Jesus.  He prayed as we would pray in such circumstances.  God’s plan for the redemption of humanity could only move forward through the sacrifice of Christ.  The weight of this was such that while praying he sweat blood.

But through his anguish, He was able to see that His own will, His own desires, paled in comparison to those of God; that His own good was nothing compared to the good that God desired for all of humanity.

And he arrived at the conclusion that it was not His will that should determine the fate of humanity, but the will of God.

Because of Christ’s sacrifice of his will in prayer and of His body on the cross, all believers are redeemed and have eternal life.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)