“For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:8b
Last week we began exploring how Jesus prepared himself for prayer. He often would go off alone, away from the noise and the distractions and he focused on his father.
In Matthew 26, we read the account of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane with three of his disciples. He instructed his disciples in verse 38, to “Stay here and keep watch with me.”
“Going a little farther he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39
Jesus went a bit farther than the disciples. He got away from the other people and focused solely on conversing with God.
He fell with his face on the ground. This position bestowed honor on God and humility on himself. As a child, I was taught to pray with my head bowed, eyes closed, and hands folded together. This is a good practice. The head bowed shows respect and humility, eyes closed and hands folded help to keep distractions at a minimum and my focus on the communication.
Five years ago, I began praying at times in a kneeling position. This position reminds me how low I am, a mere humble servant of the most high God.
If you have never prayed in such a position, I encourage you to try it in the privacy of your home.
The second part of verse 39 contains the words Jesus prayed: “My father, if it is possible may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Jesus addressed God as “My Father”. You and I may call him the same. He is our heavenly father, our Daddy, who loves us more than we can imagine. He wants the best for each of His children. And, He is willing to do whatever it takes to grow each of us into who He envisions us to be.
We can, and should, approach the Creator of all things, and call him Father.
“If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” Jesus, with his face to the ground, poured out his heart to his father. We should also feel free to communicate our hearts to God. He already knows what is in there! By keeping the lines of communication open, our faith will grow. Our trust in God will grow. When we acknowledge our feelings and ask God to help us see what He sees, He can begin to heal our hearts as well.
“Yet not as I will, but as You will.” Jesus was mindful of who God is. and who Jesus himself was. We also need to remember who God is: the most High God. God sees the whole picture, and God uses everything. We need to humble ourselves before him. We need to acknowledge his omniscience and trust in His plans. We need to take comfort in leaving our requests in his capable, loving hands. We need to trust him completely, serving Him in whatever capacity he calls us to, even when it does not play out as we would have authored it.
In verse 42 we read that Jesus returned a second time to pray, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
Jesus repeated his prayer! We should feel no shame be taking something to God multiple times. The key is each time, allowing our faith to reassure us that God does see it and He will take care of it.
Jesus ended the second prayer, humbly reiterating that He would do whatever God asked.
Jesus modeled several truths for us:
1) Our God is personal.
2) We can safely pour out our hearts to Him.
3) We can trust Him, and His plans for us.
Reflections:
Monday: In what position(s) do you pray? Do you physically humble yourself before the Lord? If not, how might your perspective change if you tried it?
Tuesday: Do you think of God in terms of the Creator of the Earth or as a heavenly Father? Do you approach Him formally or with a personal relationship?
Wednesday: When was the last time you poured out your heart to God? Were you able to tell him exactly what you were feeling? (If words elude you, remember Romans 8:26, the Holy Spirit is there praying for you!) Could you leave your concerns at his feet, or did you take them back? (There is a difference between praying multiple times over something while still trusting God to handle it, and praying repeatedly and still carrying the burden with us.)
Thursday: Do you ever feel guilty for carrying the same request back to God? Why? God wants us to communicate with Him and also to trust that He is abundantly able to handle it all. He is also able to help our faith grow so we feel assured leaving our requests with Him.
Friday: Is it difficult to accept God as the sole author of your story? Sometimes, things happen in this life over which we have absolutely no control. Yet He promises us in Romans 8:28 He will use everything for good. Do you see yourself as a servant, willing to do whatever He asks of you?
As you pray this week, recall how Jesus approached His father: personally, with humility, trust and faith.
Please feel free to share your experiences and insights. As always, if you want to share with only Stefanie, please use the email address instead of hitting “Leave a comment”.
Thanks for reading! Please return by Monday, March 25 for the next post.