Savior Sunday

'Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."'-Matthew 26:39

"Yet not as I will, but as you will." This statement in the book of Matthew has always touched my heart. I try very hard when I pray, to have this intent: God's will be done, God's purpose be fulfilled.

But it's so easy to ask for MY will and MY purpose to be done. Heal this person, God. Save that unbeliever, please. Make my kids safe and healthy and happy and nice, if you can. We all have such a list of demands to make upon God when we pray. And the really cool thing about God is, I bet he hears all those demands with great patience and love. Every. single. one.

It cannot be easy to be God. To have this master plan, and to love everyone unconditionally, and to hear all those requests, demands, and concerns...and then to watch the caretakers of his creation just walk away from him and sin.

Which is why I try to end every prayer with something like, "So if it's not against your will, God, those are the things I'm worried about. Your will be done, above all." Because really, it is God's master plan that is important. We never say that to someone who's lost a loved one, or who's house has been hit by a tornado...it wouldn't be kind to do so. But ultimately, God has a plan and a will for everyone, and those bad things that happen to us, well, they are part of the journey. God would never wish them on us, but would we really know the awesomeness of love or the true feeling of joy, if we didn't have any bad times? I don't think so. I think we only "get" the full understanding of joy and happiness and love because we know how bad it can be.

So God's will be done this week, in your life. And if it's not against God's will, may you experience joy this week. Amen.