Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
If praying is not going to change the will of God – then why pray?
Jesus prayed the most earnest prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane just a few hours before He was arrested. He prayed with anguish that His sweat became droplets of blood. This is a strange condition called “hematohidrosis” whereby due to extreme levels of stress, excessive exertion or emotional pain individuals sweat blood. Father God did not change His plans even when He saw Jesus sweating blood! Jesus was fully aware of the gruesome death that He had to go through. He prepared the disciples weeks before his death. The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again (Luke 24:7). The physical torment and the psychological trauma that was ahead of Jesus distressed Him. This prayer is the conclusive evidence that Jesus was fully God yet fully human. Jesus came into this earth to change the history of mankind. He answered Pilate, For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37).
The prayer at Gethsemane prepared Jesus holistically to accomplish His purpose on earth. Jesus was aware that the only way to redeem the fallen world was to shed His innocent holy blood. He was able to go through the agony of crucifixion and the anguish of the treachery only because of the prayer at Gethsemane. An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened him (vs 43). The prayer of Jesus did not change the plan of God but it changed Him to drink the dregs of death and be victorious over sin, sickness and death. Jesus took Peter, James and John to pray along with Him and be strengthened to face the darkest trial and not be tempted to cower in fear. Instead of praying Peter, John and James were sleeping. If Peter had prayed that night, he would have stood with Jesus at the foot of the cross. He would have reminded the words of Jesus to the other disciples and strengthened them that Jesus would triumph over death.
We don’t pray for change of God’s heart; we pray for our hearts to submit to His sovereign will.
Why Pray?
1. Strengthened: Prayer accomplishes God’s will on earth as it is in heaven. Prayer empowers us to submit to God’s will. Prayer transforms and strengthens us to fulfill God’s plan.
2. Surrounded: Praying is a warm invitation to the angelic hosts. Prayer is the portal to and from heaven. Prayer opens the door for heavenly hosts to invade and flood our life.
3. Steeled: The prayer at Gethsemane steeled Jesus to go through the gruesome, ghastly and grisly death on the cross. The lack of prayer made Peter falter, flounder and flout.
Prayer strengthens us to accomplish God’s will on earth.
Luke 22:45 “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, help me to be steadfast in prayer so that I would not fall into the temptation and meander away from your will. Amen.
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