SUNDAY - This Cup

Matthew 26:39

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…”

Jesus was well aware of what he faced on that night in the garden - pain, fear, shame, but so much more than that. This cup is the cup of God’s good justice and wrath against sin. Psalm 75:8 says “For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.” Who is supposed to drink this cup? The wicked, not the sinless Son of Man! But this was the plan - for Jesus to take this cup as the final payment for sin for all who trust in him.

How does this change the way you view your relationship with the Father? Do you picture him angry, frustrated, or waiting to punish you? Or do you see his plan to spare you the wrath you deserve? How do you view the Son? Do you see him as a good teacher, a nice example, or do you see him as more? In Lent we both look at our sin, the cause for the cup, but more than that we look at our savior - the one who drank it to the dregs for us so through him there would be none left.

Prayer:

Father, thank you that through Christ there is no punishment left - he drank it all for me so I can be fully forgiven and free before you.

Question to consider:

How does this prayer change how you see the Father? The Son? Yourself?