MARK 14:32-36 – And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
THEME OF THE DAY: THE HEIGHT OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY. Today’s scripture is one of those places we feel like taking our shoes off; for this is holy ground. It is a sacred time and place. It is one causing us to pause and reflect. It is serious and demands such an approach of reverence. Imagine for a moment being within eyesight and earshot of our Lord’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Let me encourage us to read the other Gospels accounts in Matthew 26:36-46 and Luke 22:39-46 of this account. In doing so, we get a fuller picture of the agony, the warfare, the intense emotional struggle, the physical exhaustion, and the spiritual conflict the Lord engages .We are watching and hearing one of the great displays of God’s love before the cross – the humanity of our Lord Jesus; 100 % God, 100% man and He enters into human suffering, emotionally, spiritually, and physically to levels no human being ever encountered or will. And He did so out of love for His Father and us!
As this eye-opening, heart-humbling, and soul-stirring account unfolds, the Lord states and displays what is the chief mark of spiritual maturity in His children. It is modeled by Him for us. However, few Christians arrive at this spiritual summit. It is a place not occupied by many believers. And because of both those truths, our joy in the Lord is up and down, our peace often elusive, and our complaining of life’s circumstances are all too often norms.
What is this mark? Allow the words of our Lord define it – And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” The height of spiritual maturity is to exercise a glad and whole submission to the will of the Lord despite the loss, pain, agony, and suffering it demands of us. A spiritually mature Christian refuses to be guided by self-will but so cherishes and delights in the Father’s will, no amount of sacrifice will be held back, rebelled against, or refused. Just like our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane.
So, how do we get to this point in our walks with the Lord Jesus? What are practical ways to daily pursue this mark of maturity? Here are two things and both involve our thinking before our acting. First, be convinced we were created and redeemed to have our sinful self-wills replaced by God’s holy will. We simply do not exist for ourselves. Here is the starting point. Reminding ourselves daily of this truth will arm us to do battle against our wills that always want comfort, ease, and self-expression. Another thing to help us reach this summit of spiritual maturity is to look for the day when we see Jesus. Oh, how satisfying it will be to see Him and know that He knows the will of God was our chief passion and compass guarding our just completed lives. Think this way and soon, very soon, we will experience the levels of joy only experienced at this height of spiritual maturity!
PRAYER: “Father, help me to live a life of ongoing submission to You, even when it is hard and hurts.”
QUOTE: “The height of spiritual maturity is to be able to say with a glad heart, „Not my will, but Yours be done.