Surrender

32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

A version of Jesus who  never experienced a want that  was contrary to his Father’s will is a Jesus we will never be able to relate to. Did Jesus wake up each morning and only ever desire exactly what his Father desired? Were there times when Jesus preferred something contrary to the Father’s plan? How do you read Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane and conclude anything else? To have desire which is contrary to God’s will is not sin, it is temptation.

In Gethsemane, Jesus desired an alternative to the hour that was before him. Jesus desired that his friends stay awake and pray with him, not that they would take a nap. Jesus desired the support of his friends, not their abandonment. Jesus desired to live, not die a horrible death. Jesus desired unbroken fellowship with his Father, not his rejection.

To desire is to be human, and Jesus was human. To desire what is contrary to God’s will is to be tempted, and Jesus experienced temptation. To give in to that desire is a sin, but Jesus never sinned. Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are, but he was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Where Jesus succeeded and everyone else since Adam failed is that Jesus subordinated his many desires to one greater desire–his desire to glorify the Father. Jesus is a savior who understands. Thank him now for having surrendered his will to his Father’s will.