You received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’… If we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:15, 17 (NIV)
Where do we first hear these words in the Bible? Answer: In the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:35-36).
This breathes new life into the meaning of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, as he committed himself to the will of the Father in a place of great pain and suffering. And Paul says, “The Holy Spirit makes this prayer yours!”
Do you see what this is telling us? The Holy Spirit makes it possible for you to relate to the Father, drawing comfort and strength from his love in the same way Jesus did in the most intense moments of his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
All of us come to our own Garden of Gethsemane. It’s a place where you struggle with what God is calling you to endure. You say “Why does it have to be like this? Does it have to be like this?” But this is the place where the Holy Spirit can communicate a fresh awareness of the Father’s love to you. It is the special work of the Holy Spirit to communicate the love of God to you as you believe the gospel, when you commit yourself to pursue his will, whatever the cost.
Where is God calling you to endure today?
