John 18:11
Jesus prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane that God would remove the cup of the Cross from Him. But when God’s answer was no, Jesus let nothing stand between Him and that cup. Lovingly and willingly, our Lord saw the will of the Father done at the expense of His life. So in light of His precious gift, we need to take a long, hard look at our hearts, minds, and lives to see if they honor Christ and His sacrifice. Do we go to church and with our minds say He is Lord but not with our hearts? Do we call Him King only as a way to achieve our own thrones? When I search my own heart, I am ashamed. Because more times than I care to count I have displayed behavior that brought pain to the One who gave everything He had for me. But you know what? Jesus loves me anyway. He wants me anyway. He joyfully calls me His own when I could never be worthy of Him. And knowing Him has given me a joy and peace that, although I do not deserve, am thankful for every day.
