Not My Will

Jesus' prayer in the garden is incredibly significant for how we ourselves think about prayer. "And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 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'" (Mk 14:35-36). 

Although Jesus didn't know all things during his time on earth, there was one thing he did know. He knew that it was his task to die. He knew that his hour would come, and that he would be lifted up on the cross. When he asked for the Father to remove the cup from his hands, he knew that it was the cup of God's wrath that he was preparing to drink in his death. 

The incredible thing is that Jesus wasn't afraid to ask God to spare him. Jesus was willing to ask for temporary blessing because he knew that God could do anything. 

God can do anything. I repeat, God can do anything. Jesus didn't tell himself, well since God can only do what his sovereign will intends, I'm not going to pray for this to be lifted. Either Jesus knew that it was God's sovereign will for him to drink the cup of wrath, and he still miraculously prayed the contrary. Or Jesus in his finiteness didn't know whether or not it was God's sovereign will. 

Whatever the case may be, this grants us complete freedom to pray for anything. We never know what God's ultimate will is in a situation, but we do know that he can do anything. As long as we end our prayers with "Thy will be done," we can feel free to ask for anything.

A few verses later he admits that the hour has come (mk 14:41). Significantly though, this happens after his prayer for release...a release he may have known would never come.