39-40 Leaving there, he went, as he so often did, to Mount Olives. The disciples followed him. When they arrived at the place, he said, “Pray that you don’t give in to temptation.”
41-44 He pulled away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, remove this cup from me. But please, not what I want. What do you want?” At once an angel from heaven was at his side, strengthening him. He prayed on all the harder. Sweat, wrung from him like drops of blood, poured off his face.
45-46 He got up from prayer, went back to the disciples and found them asleep, drugged by grief. He said, “What business do you have sleeping? Get up. Pray so you won’t give in to temptation.”
47-48 No sooner were the words out of his mouth than a crowd showed up, Judas, the one from the Twelve, in the lead. He came right up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said, “Judas, you would betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49-50 When those with him saw what was happening, they said, “Master, shall we fight?” One of them took a swing at the Chief Priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.
51 Jesus said, “Let them be. Even in this.” Then, touching the servant’s ear, he healed him.
52-53 Jesus spoke to those who had come—high priests, Temple police, religion leaders: “What is this, jumping me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I’ve been with you in the Temple and you’ve not so much as lifted a hand against me. But do it your way—it’s a dark night, a dark hour.”
Jesus, being a fully human, also struggled in the Garden of Gesthemane and prayed for himself and the disciples that they didn't give in to temptation. He prayed that, "It is not what I want but what God wants?" Jesus needs to rely on God's strength by prayer in order not to give in to temptation but to achieve the mission that God had given to him - to totally surrender himself to die on the cross for humankind.
My dear Father, this is also my prayer today that, "It is not what I want, but what do you want in the rest of my life?" Help me follow Your Son Jesus in my life, totally surrender my will and my plan to Your will that I will not give in to temptations - poverty, world's security, people's approval, illness, spiritual attacks, and even danger, etc. Please send your angels to stand by my side, strengthening me that I can overcome and fulfill your destiny in my life and in my works.
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