What is my Gethsemane pt. 2

I am still in this chapter about Gethsemane and what is my Gethsemane?

This is another quote directly from the book “Gethsemane is a place where we struggle with ourselves, our selfishness, our once, our hopes, our dreams and disappointments. It is where we lose ourselves to find the new person God is making; not just new resolve, but a new life, a new identity in Christ. Oswald Chambers stated, "our Lord is trying to introduce us to identification with himself through a particular Gethsemane experience of Our Own." and remember, every Gethsemane leads to a resurrection but not before it first leads to a cross"

1st Peter 5:7 cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Philippians 4:6 Let no anxiety about anything 1 distract you! Rather translate moments into prayerful worship, and soak your requests in gratitude before God! (The word 1 merimnao, anxiety, through the idea of distraction, from meritzo, to divide. Your requests do not surprise God; he knows your thoughts from afar and is acquainted with all your ways; yet he delights in your conversation and childlike trust! Song of Songs 2:14; Mat 6:8) 4:7 And in this place

That's what Jesus modeled for us at Gethsemane. So why is it that we often feel that we must hold on to some of that anxiety for ourselves even though Jesus modeled it for us.  Now we're getting into that total surrender and what that looks like. I know for me there are areas that I still want to hold on to. That if I'm not anxious about something or worried about something then I'm not being normal. Which we all know is a lie.

I know my Gethsemane is coming to terms with being in God's Will and not my own. Maybe if I fight God long enough he'll change his mind. Like that will ever happen.

I love what Todd White says. He says,

"when you signed up for this Walk with Jesus, you signed up to die."

Can it get any simpler than that? If you die to yourself then is it possible that you would never have a Gethsemane experience?

I believe you still will have Gethsemane experiences but you're so in tune to the will of God that there’s really not a question of …… can you take this cup from me?  is there another way I can do this?   You just know what you are supposed to do. 

So just picturing Jesus in the garden and in layman terms he says

 "Dad I know what you want me to do, but really is there any other way we can do this?

And Dad says "Son, there is no other way this is the only way.  you have to do this for all mankind."

This is the chorus from the song by Hillsong   "Glimmer in the dust"   Is this what Gethsemane looks like?

I know there’s a place I belong

Where I’ll see the fullness of love

A child face to face with my God Lost in

Your awesome wonder While I wait

I will not be afraid

My faith will remain all the same

My hope in the things not yet seen

Found in the greatest of these

What is your Gethsemane?

I've been doing a lot of reading lately.  Now I'm in a new book,  have been reading it for a while now.  It's called “The One Jesus loves.”  It has been a very good read but the last 3 or 4 days I've been stuck in chapter 33.

Chapter 33 is about "Weeping with Christ" Before we drink the cup, we must hold it!

3:10 Oh to comprehend the dynamic of his resurrection! His resurrection is evidence of our righteousness! In the revelation of God’s economy of inclusion, I co-suffered with him and co-died together with Christ! (Because I was already fully represented in his sufferings, his death and resurrection, I am greatly inspired when faced with contradictions now!) 3:11 When confronted with death, I actually come face to face with my own resurrection! The Mirror

So, what I have been really chewing on is what is my Gethsemane? My Gethsemane is the place where I can count the cost.  In other words, God is calling me to do something and whatever that is I'm going to have to count the cost.  What is God calling me to do?   I feel I must ponder and pray and sweat bullets and struggle and weep and wonder what is going to be required to follow him into the garden and weep with him.  I don't know what that is yet.

I guess a good example would be God has called you to something and you sit there and wonder and pray is there any other way I can do this? Jesus asked. Jesus said my father if it is possible may this cup be taken from me Matthew 26:39

So, for me I'm still asking seeking and knocking what does my Gethsemane look like.   Some of you know what Gethsemane looks like because you're running from it.  Maybe I'm running from it I don't know.

  Gethsemane is a place of coming to terms with the will of God. It is a place where we Face God's will head on. At Gethsemane, we look honestly and clearly at what God has called us to do. We consider the call and we count the cost. 

Emphasis is a direct quote from the book

Gethsemane is a place of surrender it's not the cross it is not the place where we die but it is the place where we are told we are going to die. You know dying to yourself total surrender so that we may live for God, so we can live in his will and not our own