It Was God's Will, Not His

    When we were translating the Psalms, we came across the following verse, which surprised us.  It is the hidden Son of God talking to the Father before the Father sent him to earth:

Psalm 74

19. Oh, do not put the life of your turtledove into a creature, a creature among your afflicted people!  Do not ever forget!

We were amazed to learn that the Son of God did not want to come to this wicked world and be one of us, and suffer death.  This verse reminded me of the scene in the garden of Gethsemene, when Jesus was pouring out his heart to the Father, pleading with Him not to ask him go to the cross:

Mark 14

32. And they went to a place by the name of Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go pray.”

33. And then he took with him Peter, and James, and John, and he began to feel overwhelmed and distressed.

34. And he said to them, “My soul is grieved to the point of death.  Stay here and watch.”

35. Then, going on a little farther, he fell to the ground and began to pray that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from him.

36. And he said, “Abba (that is, Father)!  All things are possible with you.  Take this cup away from me!  But not what I will, but what you will.”

(Luke 22:43–44: Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him.  And being in anguish, he began praying even more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.)

37. And then he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping?  Weren’t you able to watch for one hour?

38. Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.  The spirit is certainly willing, but the flesh is weak.”

39. And again, he went away and prayed, saying the same thing.

40. And when he returned, he discovered them sleeping again, for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.

41. And he came a third time, and said to them, “Sleeping on, and getting your rest.  That is enough; the hour has come.  Behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

42. Get up.  Let’s go.  Behold, the one who betrayed me is near.”

Jesus did not want to be tortured by the Romans and then go through the agony of the cross.  What sane person would want to?  But his Father gave him the strength to go through with it, and so, he resigned himself to do it.  Jesus much preferred his Father’s will to his own.  What love and devotion!

That is how it was before the Son came to earth.  His will was very much not to come.  But his love for his Father and his desire to please Him brought him to the place that he could resignedly say when he left his happy, heavenly home: “Behold, I go to do your will, O God” (Heb. 10:7).

Jesus showed us his Father’s love for us.  My song, “The Love My Father You”, tells about it:

It’s not a love that comes and goes,

passing by the heart like wind.

It’s not a love that never grows,

or weakens like the strength of men.

It’s not a subtle game I play;

The way I love you has to show.

My Father loves you just that way

and sent me here so you would know.

My Father loved me, and I knew

His love was meant not just for me,

but that He wanted me to come

and give my life to make you free.

The pain made me cry,

and all I had to see me through

was the love I felt inside,

the love my Father had for you.