>>>
Matthew 26:39 - Every Christian Will Come To Their Own Gethsemane.

Matthew 26:39 (NLT) He went on a little 
farther and bowed with his face to the ground, 
praying, My Father! If it is possible, let this 
cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I 
want your will to be done, not mine.  

INTRODUCTION

Three times has He uttered that prayer. 
Three times has humanity shrunk from the last, 
crowning sacrifice. But now the history of the human 
race comes up before the worlds Redeemer. He 
sees that the transgressors of the law, if left 
to themselves, must perish He beholds its 
impending fate, and His decision is made. He will save 
man at any cost to Himself. He accepts His 
baptism of blood, that through Him perishing 
millions may gain everlasting life And He will not 
turn from His mission. DA693  

In times of suffering people sometimes wish 
they knew the future, or they wish they could 
understand the reason for their anguish. Jesus knew 
what lay ahead of him, and he knew the reason. 
Even so, his struggle was intense--more wrenching 
than any struggle we will ever have to face. What 
does it take to be able to say "as you will"? It 
takes firm trust in God's plans; it takes prayer 
and obedience each step of the way. [Life 
Application SB] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

Our Father Knows Best
   From the moment of His birth, Jesus lived 
in the shadow of the cross. When Joseph and 
Mary dedicated Him in the temple, the prophet 
Simeon said to Mary, A sword will pierce your 
very soul (Luke 2:35 NLT). 
   Simeon predicted what Jesus would go 
through and what Mary would experience as she 
watched her son hang on the cross. 
   Jesus knew this was coming. And He began 
to aggressively address it at a place called 
Caesarea Philippi. He was very specific about it. 
   Matthews Gospel says, From then on 
Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it 
was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and 
that he would suffer many terrible things at the 
hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the 
teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on 
the third day he would be raised from the 
dead (Matthew 16:21 NLT). 
   Jesus knew, worst of all, that He would 
experience separation from the heavenly Father as He 
bore all the sins of the world on the cross. 
   So, in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus 
prayed, My Father! If it is possible, let this 
cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I 
want your will to be done, not mine (Matthew 
26:39 NLT). 
   That is a way of saying, Lord, if I am 
about to pray anything that is outside of Your 
will, I am asking You to overrule it. I know that 
Your plan is better than mine. Jesus died 
fulfilling the plan and purpose of God. 
   Every Christian will come to their own 
Gethsemane, a time when they grapple with the hard 
issues of life. It is during those times that we 
must say, Lord, I want Your will to be done, 
not mine. Our heavenly Father knows best. 
[Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; 
https://www.harvestdaily.com] 

COMMENTARY

Obedience or Preference
   Every believer must choose whether he 
will live by the principle of obedience or follow 
his preferences. When a person commits to doing 
the Lords will, then every situation and 
decision is sifted through the standard of "God said 
it, so Im going to do it - and thats the 
end of it." He may complain, weep, or try to 
argue. But in the end he will be obedient, no 
matter what. 
   I recall being invited years ago to 
interview with a church in Atlanta. During the entire 
road trip, I told the Lord that I didnt want 
to move. I fussed and carried on a good while, 
but I knew Atlanta would be my new home. I 
didnt like the idea, but the alternative was 
unimaginable: there are few things more unpleasant than 
living with the nagging anxiety that you missed out 
on something good. 
   The Lord certainly understands our need 
to question, cry out, and petition Him for the 
strength to do what He asks. Hebrews 4:15 tells us 
that we have a high priest who can sympathize 
with us. Jesus wasnt excited or happy about 
the cross. He grieved over the coming separation 
from His Father. Nevertheless, He was committed 
to following Gods will (Matt. 26:39). No one 
took Christs life from Him; He laid it down 
(John 10:18). 
   Our lives are about fulfilling Gods 
purpose. Many people miss His awesome plan for them 
because they choose to follow their preferences. 
Obedience is sometimes hard, but the struggle and 
sacrifice are worth it. There is joy and peace for the 
believer who pleases the Lord and lives by His 
principles. [In Touch Daily Devotional by Charles 
Stanley at www.intouch.org] 

CLOSING PEARL

In every heart there is a throne and a 
cross.  In the unconverted heart self is on the 
throne and Christ is on the cross, but in the 
converted heart we find Christ on the throne and self 
on the cross.  [Elder Mark Finley - Net 96] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY 

Matthew 26:39 - Jesus Prays in the Garden of 
Gethsemane. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2008/20080107-0836.html 

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/