Take this Cup

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

“Take this Cup”

                Jesus prays: “Take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done.” Luke 22:42

                Jesus prayed to God that night in the Garden of Gethsemane   Jesus was honest with the disciples when he became angry. And he was honest in his prayer to God. He asked God, ‘Take this cup, from me.”

and he had to be exhausted. He and the disciples had just completed sharing in the Passover Feast. But had things that night that even Peter questioned. Why had Jesus washed the feet of his disciples? What did eating bread and dipping it in wine have to do with Jesus? What had Jesus known and they did not? Jesus prayed for a long time in the garden and before he prayed he asked the disciples to keep watch for him. They were to simply stay awake and see what was happening around him. But they might have had too much to eat, and more wine than they should have. They fell asleep. And when Jesus sees them sleeping he grew angry. They couldn’t do what he wanted? He was angry, upset and of course he was being honest with what he felt. The disciples still did not fully understand that this was going to be a long night and the day ahead would bring Jesus’ death.

                I wonder how honest we have been with God as we pray? Jesus asked this when he wanted God to stop what was going to happen. Jesus wanted out. It was truly a ”What I want” prayer. How often do we ask these kinds of prayer—as we plea to remove the pains and sacrifices we face including grief, rejection, misunderstanding, injustice, addition, debt, loneliness, shame.

                Maybe we need to be more honest in our prayers- get angry with God, tell him how you feel what your experiences are and be honest about it. God can handle this because he responded to Jesus’ prayer. Jesus needed him so do you.

                God know you and as Margaret Feinberg wrote: “Prayer is the place where I’m invited to present the parts of myself that no one else sees to a God who already knows and loves me anyway.” Jesus prayed with honesty and trust because he knew he could. Because of His death and resurrection, we too can pray honestly to God and he will answer.

                This is side one of this two sided prayer- honest. We must be honest with ourselves and with God as we pray. Did Jesus really want God to stop all things that had been foretold? Or was he merely honest with God and said I need you to help me through it all. We may also ask that same prayer—take this cup and help me do as you would have me do.

PRAYER

With honesty, God I come to you with a concerned heart and voice. I am pulled in different directions yet I know that you will help me through these things because I trust you and love you. Hear my prayer O God and know again that I need you in my life always. Amen.

REFLECTION inspired by Elisa Morgan, “The Prayer coin: Reflections on Prayer” Our Daily Bread Ministries 2019