One of my favorite images of Jesus is the depiction of him praying in the garden of Gethsemane. What I think I enjoy about it the most is that it is a perfect example of his humanness, but also of human faith.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them,“Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. 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 26:36-46

Jesus was overwhelmed. He knew what was coming and what had to be done, and it overwhelmed him with sorrow.

He was so overwhelmed with sorrow that he asked God to change the plan, to make it so that he didn’t have to endure what was coming next.

And yet, even at this point of being overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, he puts his trust in his Father and asks for God’s will to be done and not his.

We pray for a lot of things, and I think it’s great that we have a God who hears each and every one of our prayers. But sometimes we forget that at the end of the day, it’s not about our will being done, but God’s. He is the one who is mighty, sovereign, and omnipotent.

I wonder what the world would look like if we spent more of our prayer times asking bodly for the things that are on our hearts, but above else praying for God’s will to be done, not ours.

Tomorrow I am taking a day of reflection and prayer as Jesus did in the garden. I am focusing in on who God is, who he has made me to be, and praying for my desires to line up with His – that HIS will be done.

Will you join me? Even if you don’t have a whole day to dedicate, Spend 1 hour, 30 minutes, even 10 reflecting on the faith of Jesus to take on the sins of the whole world even while being overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.

And for your reflection, my favorite Good Friday song: Garden by Needtobreathe

Peace, my friends.