Not my will, but God's

I want to run and not grow weary.
I want to mount up on the wings of eagles and soar!
I want to experience life and vitality in these dry, weary bones.
I want to live with strength that is renewed each morning.
I want to breath in air of power.
I want to conquer the highest, steepest mountains.
I want to thrive with flesh that will not fail.

But most of all, I want God.

I want God even when I can't run.
I want God when I'm worn out and weary.
I want God when I can barely stand let alone fly. 
I want God when my bones are frail.
I want God when the morning doesn't bring bodily strength.
I want God when the air I breath doesn't make me feel very powerful.
I want God when the mountains I must climb don't conform to man's idea of adventure.
I still want God most of all when my flesh is terribly weak and failing.

Countless times I have asked God to give me the health of my heart's desire. I've placed before Him my list of wants and asked that He fulfill my requests. I've asked for properly functioning digestion, increased weight and calm muscles.
Oh, how I've asked!
I've asked Him to take this cup of physical suffering out of my hands. Through tears and pain I have asked God to send me relief.
But at the end of every prayer and petition, no matter what ailments and symptoms were on the day's list, my asking always ends the same way. It must end the same way.
It has to end with His will.

As Jesus prayed to God on the eve of His betrayal and ultimate suffering He asked God to be relieved from the terrible crucifixion to come. Jesus, being fully man, knew the unspeakable pain that was set before Him and, wanting to avoid such agony, asked God for a different way. But after He put that request before the throne of God He spoke the most important words of surrender ever uttered. "Not yet my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42).
Jesus wasn't relieved of the rescue mission that He had to accomplish by way of the cross. To purchase eternal salvation for the world Jesus had to give every breath in His body. He had to be spent till His blood ran dry and His body went cold. The only way for God to save the world was for Jesus to suffer the ultimate pain and submit to the cruelest form of crucifixion. The cup, the cup of sacrifice, could not be taken from Jesus.
God's one and only Son, His cherished and beloved Son, was not spared. God's most precious child, His very life blood, was spent till His last breath.
But Jesus rose again.
The cross, as brutal a punishment as it was, didn't end Jesus' story. His prayer spoke to God did not return void. God took that prayer and protected it so that it could be glorified on the third day. Jesus' longing to be relieved from the darkness of death and hell was brought to life when the stone of His grave was rolled away to reveal the Savior - alive!


For God's will to be accomplished and the salvation of mankind to be purchased it took suffering; the ultimate suffering of a perfect Lamb. It was the suffering of Jesus that made way for salvation. It was His pain that ushered in perfection. God took Jesus' prayer and stored it up in Heaven where the two are seated today, giving life to weary souls and strength to failing hearts.
It is because Jesus' choose the will of God that I can have everlasting life. So Lord, not my will but Yours be done.