The Cup We Drink

When Jesus was accosted in the Garden of Gethsemane by a mob led by Judas, Peter lashed out with the sword and sliced off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest.  John 18:11 tells us, "So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?"  I find the response of Jesus revealing and inspiring.  Jesus knew without a doubt His betrayal, arrest and ultimate death on a cross was ordained by God and would be redeemed for God's good purposes.

It is a common tendency in troubles to place blame on others.  God confronted Adam about his sin in the garden and he blamed God for giving him Eve as wife; she blamed the serpent for tricking her.  They did this to avoid responsibility for their sins, a vain attempt to justify themselves before God--or to suggest others ought to bear more guilt than them.  Because Jesus had not sinned, He could have justly blamed the devil for taking possession of Judas, Judas for his greed in agreeing to betray Him for 30 pieces of silver, or the high priest and Pharisees for their pride, envy and malice.  Yet Jesus did not do this:  this cup was given Him by His Father in heaven.

Perhaps there is no time easier since the creation of the world to share our opinions with others with comments through all manner of media.  Blaming God or others (or even ourselves!) is so ingrained in practice that we may not even realise how quick we are to stoop to this tactic.  Pointing out who is in the wrong--even when it is true--cannot right wrongs or change others.  Rather than passivity and hopelessness, we ought to follow the example set by Jesus who viewed His suffering as a cup given Him by the Father knowing He would rise from the grave.  Jesus went to the cross for the joy set before Him, knowing the plan of salvation He had orchestrated since the beginning.  God would redeem the wickedness of man to make a new and living way for eternal glory in God's presence.

It is good for us to humbly submit to God, knowing He is good even though He allows evil.  One day He will put an end to it forever, but now He employs it wisely to accomplish His good ends.  He can redeem something like death that was not His will--to do His will and bring eternal life.  Even in disaster we can know God is not absent, for He will accomplish His redemptive purposes.  God said in Isaiah 45:7, "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things."  God is able to use a calamity like the cross to make peace with mankind.  That's how good God is and how excellent His plans are.  Often we cannot see or know what God is doing, but knowing and trusting God guides us to submit to circumstances He allows.  Job received evil from Satan as from God, and he was enabled to persevere to receive blessing God intended to give from the beginning.