Luke 22:42

Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me – but it is not my will, but yours, that must be done.

Even Jesus wanted to avoid this painful moment in his life.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, on the night he was betrayed and arrested, he prayed this prayer.  He asked God to let him off this hook.  Like Jesus, there are things we do not want to do, face, take on, take up or deal with.

Like Jesus, we too can be honest with God.  We can come forward and say, God, is there any way out of this one?  Then, like Jesus, we are called to receive God’s response and in turn agree, not our will, Oh God, but yours, be done.  These words give us permission both to come before God with any request, and to walk away saying, whatever your will, that is what I desire.  May we, this week, speak to God with utterly honest words, and may we have the courage to receive God’s will and follow.