In my last blog post, we talked about surrendering completely to God’s Plan.
What if we have some reservations about The Plan? Is it ok to ask God to change it?
In The Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed,
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me.”
Matthew 26:39
Then He added,
“Yet, not as I will, but as You will.”
Matthew 26:39
There may be many circumstances in our life that would tempt us to say, “Oh Lord, I want to serve You, but this plan is not working for me.”
We see life from our very narrow view. However, God sees everyone and everything in the larger picture of His overall Plan.
He is with us always, through every challenge we have. We have constant and direct access to Him. But He will not always change our circumstances.
The three men referenced in my last post were thrown into the blazing furnace. Daniel was put in the lion’s den. Moses did go through the Red Sea.
They may not have chosen that way to be witnesses to The Lord’s Power, but they were, in fact, part of God’s Plan. And we remember their witness today.
After Jesus requested that the cup be removed from Him, He waited for a response from God.
Interestingly there is no recorded answer from God to Jesus’ Request. When God has already laid out the Plan, Silence may be interpreted as, “No change.”
Sometimes God is simply present with us, as we are still and know once again He is God. He loves us and The Plan still stands.
After a time of waiting, Jesus prayed some more. And then He said,
“If it is not possible for this cup be taken away unless I drink it, may Your Will be done.”
Matthew 26:42
He fully submitted to The Will of His Father. He went to the cross. The Father’s Will was His Will.
What are you praying about right now? Are you praying with the openness of Jesus to say, “Lord, if this is possible, will You do it? Yet, not as I will, but as You will.”
And if His Answer leads you onward to places you do not want to go, can you say, “If it is not possible to change this to the way I want it, then what I still want is Your Will. If all I have left is You, that’s all I want … You are all I need.”
If you are not sure yet that you can speak those faith filled words, then be sure to read my next blog posting about a man who wanted to believe. But He needed help to keep believing. He cried out to Jesus.
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Mark 9:24
“My Grace is sufficient for you. For My Power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
” My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14
“I AM with you always …”
Matthew 28:20
