Over the week leading up to Easter, God stuck a couple things in my face that gave me pause for thought.

First was the recurring theme “if you had one week left to live, what would you do?”

Of course I had the typical “see the world”-type thoughts, but before that I had another thought, one that’s deeper and more relational than fun. I can’t bring myself to act on this, though. I seem to have a “tragic flaw” similar to Hamlet’s - an inability to act due to needing to be certain of actions and consequences. You may remember in Shakespeare’s Hamlet that the title character was told that his uncle Claudius killed his father the king then married his mother. Rather than taking action and confronting/killing the Cladius right then, Hamlet wanted more information and assurance that he was doing the right thing, so he kept delaying action. Hamlet finally did act, but it was too late - he was killed carrying out his mission.

As hard as it may seem to take that action now, I know I need to before it gets even more difficult. Given that the “last week alive” scenario was brought up on several different occasions, and I had the same spontaneous thought each time, it makes me wonder if God is pushing me to take a step of faith and trust in Him.

The second thing that was laid on my heart during Easter was Matthew 26:39.

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

(Also, Mark 14:36 and Luke 22:42)

I’ve realized that I’ve been praying fervently for a “cup,” for something that I desire, but have been doing it selfishly. What I have been completely missing is the second part of Jesus’ prayer above - “as You will.” I’m forgetting to put God’s will above mine, or even factor it into my “plans” for my life. Even Christ, the perfect man, who know what He was about to face and very much wanted to avoid it if at all possible, who could have whatever He wanted, knew that He needed to follow the Father’s will above His own desires. There’s an example that I need to take to heart and follow in my prayers and daily life.