Day 34: Our Story
Read: Matthew 26:40-46
The book of Genesis isn’t just a collection of random stories. Genesis is our story. It’s a story that begins with God forming us with His hands in the dirt. It’s a story of a God who plants a garden for His creation to enjoy and flourish in. It’s a story of a God who walks with His creation and has them partner with Him. It’s also a story of the created being drawn away by desire. It’s a story of us turning our eyes away from the One who is good and beautiful and redefining what those concepts mean for ourselves. It’s the story of two standing in a garden and choosing their own will over that of their Father. It’s a story of falling away. It’s this story that repeats itself over and over again, chapter after chapter.
Today we reach the climax of this story. We are again in a garden. Jesus goes away alone to be with the Father, except this time He is not walking next to Him. Instead, He falls upon his face and begs his Father to pass the cup from Him. In ancient Israel, the pouring out of a cup often represented judgment. Jesus knows what is ahead of Him – He sees the fruit he is supposed to eat and it does not look good, so He begs and pleads to be let off the hook. The arc of Scripture seems to give away how this story will end. The desire of the flesh will be chosen as it has been over and over again. But here Jesus undoes all that was cursed by Adam’s decision.
“My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
Don’t miss this moment. Knowing what He is about to endure and being completely overwhelmed with fear and sorrow, Jesus chooses obedience to the will of his Father. It is here where all the curses of the fall begin to unravel. We, like Jesus, participate in a story full of betrayal. We, like Jesus, participate in a story full of loneliness. We, like Jesus, participate in a story full of brokenness. But we, because of Jesus, get to participate in a story full of redemption and obedience! These things do not happen outside of our sorrow and brokenness but through them. It is through being identified in Christ’s obedience, in His broken body, in His shed blood that we find that we have been restored to the way the story was originally written. Hallelujah. We can be thankful in the trial because He has already undone it.
There are a great mystery and beauty in the truth of Jesus’ righteousness being given to participate in. Even if you don’t fully understand it (I know I don’t), give thanks to God. Dance, sing, write Him a note. Give him praise. Our story doesn’t end with the no of Adam, but the yes of Jesus.