Nevertheless (Pt.1)

(Part 1 of 2)

“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”-Matthew 26:39

Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 26 is really unique. The first thing that catches my attention is His questioning of the possibility that His death could be avoided. Was it possible? Was it possible that God could see to it that Jesus did not die on the cross? I mean, He is God. I would venture to say, yes; however, in doing so it would have aborted the entire plan of redemption that God had established since the dawn of creation. 

In His flesh, it is obvious that Jesus didn’t want to walk through a gruesome, violent death on a cross. If there were another way to accomplish God’s redemptive purposes without having to go through such trauma; I believe that He would have been receptive to it. So, Jesus prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.”

On multiple occasions Jesus acknowledged that nothing was impossible with God:

“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”-Mark 10:27

However, Jesus went on a little further with His prayer. He prayed, “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” This is where I have been challenged in my own prayer life. 

The reason so many people abandon prayer is because they don’t see their prayers answered as they had hoped and believed. It wasn’t because they had a lack of faith, in fact, they had all they faith needed to see a miracle happen. Yet, their prayers did not come to pass. Ever been there? Has your prayer life suffered because of it? 

How often, though, do we pray for what is possible, without praying God’s will be done? What if Jesus had stopped short in His prayer to the Father? 

Imagine for just a moment, what would have happened if God had answered Jesus’ possible prayer? You and I would still be in our sins. You and I would be still be lost and bound for hell. The prayer that would have benefited Him most in the moment, would have had far reaching effects on the rest of humanity. Yet, it was possible. Why? Because prayer is never a question of God’s ability. 

The reason so many people are disillusioned with prayer is that they pray what is possible, without praying God’s will be done. Praying “possible” prayers is believing that because God can do it, He will do it. We never take into consideration, how answering that prayer may influence God’s redemptive purposes for mankind. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church