The Place Jesus Really Died
Scripture - Mark 14:32-42
Where did Jesus die? If you’re like me and you grew up in church you’ll say on the cross of Calvary, Golgotha. And although we’re correct in that was the place of His natural death, His real death took place in the Garden of Gethsemane.
“Why do I say that?” you may ask. Well, look very closely with me. Remember first, Jesus knew His time of death was near. He had been warning His disciples that the time was at hand. In today’s passage He went to pray in Gethsemane and Scripture tells us in verse thirty-three, “He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.”
I imagine this trouble and distress had everything to do with what was about to take place in His life concerning His cruel death. I also imagine He thought about all the relationships He had built and all the people He had connected with while here on earth as a natural man. The thoughts of “leaving” loved ones, and even the thoughts of His pending punishment and death were troubling. But He knew He had to submit to the will of the Father - hence, He had to die to His own will.
In verse thirty-six Jesus prayed, “...not what I will, but what You will.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve prayed that prayer before. It’s actually become my daily prayer, that the will of God be done in my life. But when I first began praying that prayer it was the most difficult prayer I’ve ever prayed. Not because I thought God had something “bad” waiting for me if I submitted to His will, but because submitting to His will meant giving up self. Giving up everything “I” knew and everything “I” worked towards to follow His will. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Yes!
When we choose to follow God’s will for our lives, we, like Jesus die to our will. We die to what we’ve become attached to. We die to our mindset and our ways of doing things. And even to the point that it takes us through tough times, we must know that God’s will is always worth it. He has so many beauteous blessings in store for us. It’s amazing how we withhold God’s blessings from our lives because we want to hold on to what we’ve built, or how we’re used to doing things.
The minute we let go and allow God’s will to manifest in our lives, we receive a special grace to get to where God wants us to be. Not only that, but when we exchange our will for God’s will, something divine takes place in our hearts. At that very moment, we have the heart of the Father and we open our lives us to receive blessings what cannot be measured.
Journal
- Have you exchanged your will for God’s will for your life? Why or why not?
- What area(s) of your life have you not totally submitted to the will of God? Why?
- How can you begin to trust God more with your life beginning today?
- Spend time to today talking to God about your life. Share with Him why it’s so difficult for you to let go and allow His will to manifest in your life.
And He said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” -Mark 14:36
Comments