Gethsemane

“And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."” Matthew 26:39 ESV 

Gethsemane is a garden outside the city of Jerusalem located on a slope of the Mount of Olives whose name literally means “oil press.” It is a garden of ancient olive trees that stands there to this day. Jesus regularly went to Gethsemane with His disciples to pray. Gethsemane is a symbol of complete surrender to the will of God for our life.

Gethsemane was the scene of the distress, the agony, mental anguish and arrest of Jesus just prior to His crucifixion. Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane is recognized as a prayer of surrender and commitment to do the Father’s will. For Jesus it meant that He was to suffer and die for our sins on the cross. 

Jesus’ prayer was a commitment and consecration to yield to the Father’s will, which is an example for us. We too must come to the place of complete surrender and pray as Jesus did. In fact, it is an important part of our daily prayer. It is through the prayer of consecration that we fully embrace His will. We pray that God would have His way and that His will would be done. “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 ESV. 

TODAY’S PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we come to our Gethsemane as we yield our will to you, “not as I will, but as you will.” Let your will be done in our lives in Jesus Name.

God bless,

Pastor Matt