Luke 22:39-44 (NIV) Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
Jesus knew that His time was very short, measured in minutes, not hours. He had done His best to prepare His closest followers for what was coming, but He knew that they were nowhere near ready. He even felt His own heart pulling back from the anguish that lay immediately in front of Him.
What was needed was prayer, both by Him, and by His disciples. Not prayer for safety, but for the ability to stay in the center of God’s will when things got hard. So, Jesus first urged His disciples to pray that they would not fall when the inevitable temptations came. Then he went a short distance away to pray Himself.
Jesus’ prayer was not what many people would expect. His first petition was that if any other way existed to accomplish the work, that the other way be used. Jesus was no coward, but His humanity quailed at the pain, suffering, and humiliation that was racing toward Him, and He wanted to make sure that there was really no other way before He stepped purposefully into the trap. But if there really was no other way, if this way of suffering and death really was God’s will, then he was completely game.
It was not long before He knew with absolute certainty that His suffering and death on the cross, and all the pain and abuse that would precede it, really was the only way for mankind to be saved. Only the complete sacrifice of the Lamb of God could really take away the sins of the whole world (John 1:29). And once he was certain of that, He prayed more passionately and earnestly, the exertion of which caused His perspiration, despite the cool of the early April evening, to roll from His face and body so profusely and in such large drops, as large as drops of blood, that it rolled off of Him and fell to the ground all around Him.
It is important to note that Jesus did not feel abandoned – God was not far from Him in this moment of deep distress. Instead, an angel from God’s presence appeared to Jesus, affirming for Him God’s plan and His role in it, and encouraging and strengthening Him as He prayed.
Father, sometimes we, too, can see pain and suffering approaching as we walk the path of Your will. And sometimes our humanity also quails at that pain and shrinks away from the suffering, just like Jesus. But here we can see that the solution is not retreat, because that would turn us aside from Your will. It is not reason, trying to talk ourselves out of our fear and trepidation, because fear is not an intellectual problem, but an emotional and spiritual one. The only real solution is simple, heartfelt, passionate prayer, surrendering ourselves completely to Your will, and allowing You to encourage and strengthen our hearts before the trial arrives. Help me to always remember this, Lord. Amen.