March 24, 2024

The Garden Prayer of Jesus

Palm Sunday is both a celebration—of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem—and the “beginning of the end” that culminates on Golgotha. Jesus is committing to His ultimate act of obedience in order to bring us restored peace with the Father, not to wage war on us. And yet He Himself is facing the darkest hour in the history of all humanity. How does He prepare? He goes to the garden. He prays. And the way in which He prays has much to teach us as we face our own trials, testing, suffering, or grief. In these final hours of His life, out of His own great suffering, He simultaneously models for us a prayer of honesty, surrender, and obedience.

Scripture: Matthew 26:36-46, Hebrews 4:14-16, Psalm 119:145-147, Romans 8:1-9, Philippians 4:6-7