Mirror Jesus II

Mark 14:³⁶ “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (emphasis added).

Some years ago, Pastor Rick Warren lost his son to suicide. Imagine how devastating that would be for a parent that is a pastor. He went through a lot. He granted one interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan, you can watch it on YouTube. Piers asked Pastor Rick if when his son died, did he doubt if God existed? Hard question, but Pastor Rick had to answer the question honestly because people can tell if you are not being truthful. But Pastor Rick floored the question; he said his children never doubt if he is their father. He says, but his children sometimes doubt his wisdom and if he actually knows what he is doing.

His children doubt his timing and direction. But his children never doubt his person and if he is their father. He says, right now I doubt God’s wisdom, this makes no sense, and I doubt His timing. But I can never doubt if He is my God and my Father. This is a lesson to many of us, when you get to Gethsemane, the first thing is to affirm God’s power. Lord, You can do all things. You did not make them slap me, but they did yet I know you can save me.

The second lesson from Jesus in today’s scripture reference is, Express Your Desire To God. Jesus actually let God know what He really wanted, “Please take this cup of suffering away from me”. What is the point of pretending to God? He already knows you do not want the cross. Why do you go to God with, ‘You said in Your word, in Psalm 23…” Do not worry about all that. What do you want? Jesus said, “Abba” and we can translate that to mean, my Dad, let this cup pass if it were possible. Express your desire. Tell God what you really want. The third thing Jesus teaches us from this scripture is, Offer Your Trust. “Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine.” I do not understand it, but let Your will be done. You survive Friday, the days of pain by reaching out to friends and reaching out to God.

Saturday – The Day Of Doubt And Confusion: Imagine what went through the minds of the disciples after Jesus died. They were confused! They must have said to themselves, we thought He was the Messiah. I was to be the minister of finance and you were supposed to be the minister of defence. We thought the time had come to restore the kingdom. What was going on? What do we do in our days of doubt and confusion? We will get into that in tomorrow’s devotion.

Prayer (hymn): Nearer to thee! E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me. Still all my song shall be Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee! Amen!