DAY
37

ALL FOR JOY

MARK 14:32-42

He became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me. . . . Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”

MARK 14:33-34, 38

THIS WASN’T the first time that human beings in a garden faced temptation. We recall that story from the earliest pages of Scripture, and it did not end well. On the surface, this one would not end well either; one disciple betrayed Jesus, and the others fled the scene. Jesus had told them to stay awake and pray so they would be able to resist, but he, too, had to resist an overwhelming urge to depart from the divine plan. His resistance was enough to overcome this temptation. The Father’s plan would proceed without the Son compromising obedience.

This was no stoic experience, however. Jesus was deeply troubled and distressed—“crushed with grief,” he told his friends, even “to the point of death.” The writer of Hebrews tells us that “while Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death” (Hebrews 5:7). Whether or not that applies to other occasions of prayer, it certainly applies to this one. The Cross would be an exceedingly painful and traumatic experience—physically, emotionally, and probably most of all, spiritually—and the Son of God was not reluctant to admit it.

Jesus did not submit to the suffering because of some robotic sense of self-control, nor did he quench his passions simply because it was the right thing to do. He fully felt the weight of sin and pain and displayed his anguish outwardly. But another feeling was even stronger: joy. According to the writer of Hebrews, Jesus was able to look past this excruciating moment and see what it would accomplish. “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). His aversion to the coming agony counted for less than his anticipation of the coming glory. Even in the most distressing of circumstances, he could keep his priorities straight.

Life will give us ample opportunities to make the same choice. Superficial gratification now or deeper gratification later? No pain, no gain; or pain for the gain we desire? Self-indulgence or self-discipline? The pleasures of the world or the joys of the Kingdom? These aren’t easy decisions, but the choices that line up with the culture of God’s Kingdom lead to fulfillment. They reveal which citizenship we most value and which realm we are investing our lives in. And they make us a lot like Jesus.

PRAYER

Lord, many times I have prayed, “Not my will but yours.” I haven’t always said it with joy, but I want to. I believe the joy of fulfilled promises exceeds the pleasures of the moment. Help me make the right choices in every area of my life. Amen.

REFLECTION

On what occasions have you had to choose between present pleasures and future joys? Which do you tend to choose more often?

DAY 37

DAY
37