ReaD Matthew 26:36-39
Jesus has just finished His last supper with His disciples—the men He has loved and poured His life into over the past three years. He knows Judas is about to betray Him and hand Him over to soldiers. He knows these disciples who love Him, will deny Him. In Matthew 26:31 Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me.”
Jesus takes His disciples away to Gethsemane to pray. He needs quiet time with the Father. Jesus knows He is about to die, but even more of a burden is the reason why. Jesus will carry the weight of the world’s sin on His shoulders. His death is not in vain, but it is very heavy. In verse 38 He says, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”
Think of how heavy you feel sometimes in the midst of sin. Whether you are “caught” doing something wrong, or your conscience convicts you, whether it is a pattern of sin you feel trapped in, or a one-time offense—sin is heavy. Now, imagine feeling the burden of every sin you have ever committed or ever will commit. Yikes. Jesus feels that, plus the sin of every other person on earth. It is too much.
And yet, that is why Jesus came to earth. He loves each one of us so much. Sin comes with a cost. But He wants to pay that price for us. Only through His death for our sins, can we truly be forgiven and experience a relationship with our Creator.
So in the same breath that Jesus says, “may this cup be taken from me,” he also says, “yet not as I will, but as you will.”
As a parent, I often feel this sentiment. I feel burdened with my children’s sins or problems. I want to fix them, but I can’t. I fail miserably in the way I handle a challenging situation with one of them. I have tried everything I can think of, but the problem is still there. I can’t do it. I want to throw in the towel. Pick someone else to handle this God. And yet, I love my children. God has given these children to me. I cannot give up on them. So while I am overwhelmed, I say, “God your will be done.”
For Reflection:
- Thank God for loving you and choosing you. Thank Jesus for taking on your sin. Thank Him for being overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death for you.
By Stephanie Huston
