Reading your Bible for Today October 20

October 20: Matthew 26:39

KJV Key Verse: Matthew 26:39
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying,O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Devotion:
Have you ever had the thought “how does God know how I feel?” Well, the answer is simple. He came down to earth as a human being meaning that He was absolute flesh and blood, as we are, and He felt and thought like a human being – the only difference being in His faith. His faith was absolute because, you could say, He had inside knowledge. That is what we should aspire to be like!

Each one of us can think back on a time when we were really upset or when we most needed someone to help us. We can recall those emotions and probably the desperation which we felt at the time. We may, depending on the outcome, have had to face up to things which we did not want to. We may have had to pay a price for something we had done that we shouldn't have. Or, we may have had to pay a price for something we did not do!

Can you imagine how you would feel if you were suddenly called to one side to answer for all the bad things you had done and said in your life. Imagine if you knew the trouble you had been in in the past was nothing like the trouble you were in now just because of those things you had said... You were now face to face with having to pay for everything there and then in one go, and there was no way out.

Jesus knew what was ahead. He knew exactly what was going to be laid on His shoulders. He knew He would personally have to pay for each and every thing that we have done wrong. He knew all of those feelings of guilt and desperation were about to become His feelings. He knew He was about to take on everyone's guilt; and still He said “not as I will, but as thou wilt”. His love for each of us meant He had to go through with it. He knew He had to take on all of that guilt so we could be held guiltless before God. And He was doing it all because He loves you!

Points to Ponder:
Have you ever taken the blame for a friend’s mistakes?

How are you thanking Christ for what He has already done?