“…take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. (Mark 14:33-36)
Have you ever wanted something in your life, a problem, a situation, a burden, etc… to be taken away from you? I have certainly felt deep heart anguish in desiring that God would just take something away from me that I did not want. What do you want God to take away from you?
Our Savior was in the Garden of Gethsemane as he was waiting to go to the cross. In this Garden Jesus cried out three times to God to take something away from Him. Jesus desired that “this cup” be taken from Him. Recall when Christ was at the Lord’s Supper with His twelve, and he proclaimed that the cup was the cup of His blood, the cup of the New Covenant. In His humanity, He did not want to go through with the cross. Did God take the cup from His only Son at the request of Jesus? No he did not. Why does God not take that thing from us at times that we so desire Him to take from us? What is God showing us?
First, THERE IS A MISSION TO ACCOMPLISH. Jesus had a mission to accomplish, and if God were to take away the cup, then Jesus would have not fulfilled His mission. God has given a mission to each one of His children to accomplish. However you may want God to take away the “cup” from you, whatever your cup is. If God were to take it away how would you accomplish the mission that God set out for you? Do you know the mission that He has called you to? If your desire is to please the One that has called you, then you may ask Him to remove something from you, but His desire is for you to fulfill your mission, and somehow that thing that perhaps you may despise may be the very thing that God needs to use to fulfill His will in you.
Secondly, A SORROWFUL SOUL HONORS GOD. I’ve heard it said that the soul is described as the mind, will and the emotions. There are two types of sorrow, godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. Jesus’ soul possessed a sorrowful at having to drink from the cup that He desired to be taken from Him. Although your soul may be sorrowful, God knows that He is not giving you too much that you can’t handle with His hand upon your life. The Scriptures says that Jesus sweat great drops of blood, as He was under such tremendous pressure to do the Will of His Father.
Thirdly, YOU HAVE CLOSE FRIENDS, BUT THE CUP (BURDEN) IS YOURS. Jesus had his three inner circle, Peter, James, and John nearby. Although they meant well, and were even in the Garden with Him, Jesus went through the heart anguish alone, with His Father. There may be those that mean well, there may be those that are close, but you find them sleeping as you are struggling. I believe that the three meant to stay awake and pray for Jesus, but their strength couldn’t carry themselves let alone Jesus Christ. Have you ever experienced those closest to you perhaps desired to help, they were there for you, they journeyed with you into places and at times others would not dare go with you? These are the ones that if they knew how to take “the cup” from you, probably would, but God would not dare allow them to take it. I am reminded of Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, as He struggled with the mission of destroying the ring of evil. Jesus struggled to eradicate sin and redeem humanity from the curse of the Law and the power of Satan. Do you desire others to take the cup from you? Realize that your closest loved ones can’t take it, because it is not theirs to take, God gave it to you. To be continued
Until the nets are filled…
Blessings, Pastor Phil <><
He Has Magnified His Word 