Thankful Thursday- The Gift at Gethsemane

Today, I am focusing on my Lord God, to whom I owe everything.

I am thankful that God Almighty would create the universe, the world, and everything and everyone in it, including me. As beautiful as the world is... as diverse, colorful, majestic, and delicate,... I am in His image and His beloved.

I am thankful that although I am a sinner and worthy of condemnation, I am loved, and forgiven. Free. And I am even more thankful for that gift because of what it entailed. My Savior left the glories of Heaven to take on human form and be born. He spent His years teaching and healing so that I may have a shepherd to follow.

I am thankful because of the choice He made in the garden. The words of His prayer reflect in small part what He must have experienced that day. Jesus said, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." And it must have been. Being human as well as God meant He knew the reality of what was coming... but how his flesh must have rebelled against the coming pain and torture and death. How his heart must have been breaking as He knew those He loved and laid down His life for would be the ones to mock, torture, and kill Him. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." And yet...

The words of His prayer continued in a way that causes my heart to take pause, "Abba, Father," He said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." He cried out to His Daddy... who is now, thanks to Christ, my Daddy too... the Heavenly Father. He cried out while overwhelmed with sorrow asking to be pardoned in His humanity.... but in the same breath following His Father in perfect obedience. Christ did not step away from His death because of His love for me.

And in so doing taught me yet another lesson... how to pray. Not my Will, Father, but what You Will. Even in hard times. Even when I want something so badly. Or want to be spared something. Not my Will. His.

Jesus then willingly went forth for ME. In perfect ageement, God chose salvation for ME, even at such high cost. My shepherd became the perfect sacrificial lamb... so that I did not have to face that punishment.

Praise be to the Good Shepherd who lays His life down for His lamb! Me. I never cease to be in awe of this gift. It makes all earthly blessings which God pours upon me pale. It causes me, when I think on it, to shake in awe... to look to the Shepherd and want to follow Him, all the days of my life.