Take This Cup
“Father. Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me.”
Jesus was overwhelmed by sorrow as He prayed to His Father. Oncoming betrayal and unspeakable pain filled Him with agony. Dread flooded Him in tears and sweat. Everything was set in motion and quickly pressing in on Him. His friends slept nearby as He poured out His heart to God.
Over the years, Good Friday has been a time of reflection for me. I read through my journal to the many entries over the years. I’m not sure why I kept track of the weather, but it’s meaningful to look back now and see how it often matched the season of life I was experiencing. One year, the rain was refreshing and cleansing as I started a new chapter of my life. In another, I couldn’t see past the darkness and was crippled by my failings. There were many that I felt detached from God and didn’t believe He was good. As He began to restore my hope, I wrote this:
“I feel protected and loved. Instead of raining or cold winds today, it was warm and the sun broke through the clouds like hope into a deserted world. Things may continue to be hectic…or painful…or overwhelming. But hope is ever-present.”
I’m not one to quote myself. Honestly, who does that? These pages DO mark for me a stark difference between going my own way and trusting God in my life. As we experience dread and sorrow in the midst of this virus, I know more than ever how important it is to have hope.
When Jesus called out to God in the garden, He didn’t thank God for the cross He would bear.
He didn’t count it all joy or rejoice in that moment. He didn’t let his buddies off the hook for falling asleep while He was falling to the ground. He expressed his deep, intense longing for God to remove the pain and suffering from His story. All too often, we as Christians jump to verses about thanking God for trials (which we ARE called to do, but wait for it…) and pretend all is fine and hunky dory. I’m not a fine and hunky dory kinda girl. Instead, we are invited to be honest and bring it all before Him.
Jesus provided an example of pouring our hearts out to God.
He spent time in His despair. He didn’t rush it along or try to hide. He didn’t busy Himself with the disciples, finding other things to do. His Spirit was troubled and He cried out from the depths of His anguish. I know I’m really belaboring the point here…but here we are, facing our own season of waiting.
This Holy Week will come to an end tomorrow. Our happily ever after is found in Jesus conquering death. He wouldn’t have been able to do that if He didn’t follow His fear by saying, “Yet not what I will, but Your will be done.” He grieved for the cross, but He trusted God to use it to change the course of history. A friend pointed out recently that in John 17, Jesus prayed for us. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20, 21).. He followed through because He knew it would glorify God and rescue us. He prayed for protection, for faith, unity among people, and God’s glory in us.
The burden of the cross did not outweigh His love for us.
As we experience the distress of this cup we are holding, I encourage you to pour it all out before God. The depth of our sorrow is not overbearing for Him. The joy we feel in the midst of suffering is not by mistake. You can ask Him to take this cup…to protect you from harm. Jesus showed us the importance of accepting our suffering, as well. Jesus has restored us and our hope lies in the shadow of the cross.