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The Will of God
By Pastor Raymond Wey
"And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matthew 26:39).
Here we find the exact words Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. Dread and fear of that which lie ahead gripped Him. The ordeal of being whipped, the crown of thorns, the cross, bearing the punishment for our sins--all awaited Him. It was no wonder that He prayed that the cup would pass from Him, in the hope that there might be another way to save the fallen human race. But the miracle occurred when He said, "...nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt!"
He was willing to go this terrible way for us, and He went without murmuring or complaining. Because of this, He is able to redeem all those who come to Him. Jesus' whole life was dedicated to doing only what God wanted Him to do. Again and again we discover how Jesus answered, "...My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:34 and 6:38).
As people, each of us like to do what we want. We plan our time the way we want it. We go where we want to go, and do the things we want to do. In between, some might consider God in the midst of their problems. Do we think that we will lose our freedom if we do God's will? Have we become so dependent upon the spirit of the world that we do not trust in God's help?
The life of Jesus upon the earth was full of signs and wonders. That which nobody else could do, He was able to do. Even His enemies said, "If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him" (John 11:48). He showed us the way that is right--complete trust in God. Not a trust in the power Rome possessed, nor in the religious people around him. He did not allow himself to become reliant upon the things of this world. He did not let anyone pay Him for that which He did, nor could anyone buy Him. He did the will of God.
All others are dead, but Jesus is alive because He did the will of His Father. Our small world in which we live would change if we sought the will of God and His kingdom. What are we waiting for?