The Easter Cup
As Easter approaches, I often think of how Jesus felt anticipating His journey to the cross. He faced a cup He wanted to escape. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus wrestled in prayer that God would let it pass from Him. Matthew 26:39 says, “And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”
The Easter cup… I often wonder what Jesus saw in the cup? Did He really understand the torment that came with crucifixion? Did He see all the suffering He would actually endure? Did He see all His disciples desert Him when He needed them the most? Did He see and feel the separation of His Father, not because of anything He did, but because He would carry the sin burden of the entire world? Did He see how He would still be rejected by many after dying for them?
Now, I know me. Just seeing one of these would immediately make me push that cup away. And even though Jesus struggled with this assignment, He remained committed. Onward He went out of complete obedience to the Father, and He did it just for you and me.
This reminds us that we too can struggle and wrestle with God’s will, but still remain committed. God understands that obeying Him can be a challenge for us, but He only asks us to trust Him, not to lean on our own understanding of what He asks us to do. He always does things for our good and His glory.
So my question to you: What do you see in your cup? Do you see the suffering you will go through when non-believers crucify you for your faith? Do you see the desertion of family and friends because of your commitment to Christ? Do you see and feel the separation of the Father when you sin? Do you feel the weight of bearing your sin when you refuse to confess it to Him, repent, and make amends to an offended party?
Jesus made a choice to obey the Father despite the pain and suffering set before Him. We also must make a choice to obey difficult situations. Remember the cross… remember His cup. We can choose to obey the most difficult things realizing that none of us will ever face the cup that Jesus did.
I don’t know about you, but I am encouraged knowing that Jesus wrestled with obeying His Father. So when I struggle with doing what God ask me to do, I just need to follow Jesus’ example. Struggle, remember the Easter cup, then obey. Why? Simply …
