The Agony in the Garden, by Francesco Trevisani, 1740
I praise You, Lord Jesus, Founder of our faith and supreme exemplar of what the life of faith looks like. You demonstrated what it means to live in continual obedience to our Father [1], doing nothing of your own initiative but only what God directed you to do.
In the Garden of Gethsemane you poignantly affirmed trusting submission, even while anguishing over the suffering to come [2].
Yet you acquiesced to your Father’s will. You trusted your Righteous Father to provide the supernatural strength you’d need, knowing his right hand would sustain you, and he’d provide ultimate victory [3].
Your submission cost you horrific pain yet you endured to the end. By comparison, my submission has cost me little and yet I sometimes balk at even small sacrifices.
How dare I stoop to complaining and self-pity when people don’t respond the way I think they should, when disagreeable tasks require attention and I ignore them, when “little” temptations beset me and I make excuses to give in?
Oh Lord, forgive me for losing sight of your example. Remind me too that obedience is not for performance’ sake but for love’s sake [4]. Out of gratitude, I do want my love for you to overflow; out of love, I do want my submission to you to grow.
I praise You, Lord Jesus, that you are the Perfector of my faith [5]. You didn’t just set me on the path to abundant life and then leave me to figure out the journey on my own.
“Your Spirit has enlightened my understanding of spiritual matters, developed my conscience, drawn my affections toward things of eternal value, created the desire within me to follow [your] will, with new motives, principles, and purpose” (Unknown) [6].
THANK YOU!
You guide and empower, to mold my life into what is useful and even beautiful. You faithfully work to release me from those things that ensnare me [7]. How gracious you are!
You change my perspective, so I can see things from your point of view; you work repentance in my heart, desiring to purify and transform me, day by day, into your likeness [8]. That’s my desire too.
I’ve not been an easy project for you, Lord, given my stubbornness and slowness to learn. And yet, scripture assures me your continual inner-work within me is for your good pleasure [9]. You do it because it gives you pleasure! That astounds me.
How thankful I am to belong to you, that you never give up on me. You never tire of wielding your transforming power, to refine all your children into radiant reflections of you [10].
I praise you, Jesus, for your patience and persistence! And I praise you for your promise, that you’ll carry to completion the good things you—with all your wisdom, goodness, and love—have planned for me [11].
May I be an enthusiastic participant to the end!
[1] Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 2:21; John 6:38
[2] John 5:30; Matthew 26:36-46
[3] Philippians 2:6-8; Psalm 18:32, 35b; 37:39-40
[4] John 14:15
[5] Hebrews 12:2
[6] Ephesians 1:18; Hebrews 9:14; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 4:24-26; Ezekiel 36:26-27
[7] John 16:13; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 2:10; Psalm 25:15
[8] Romans 12:2; 1 John 1:9; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 3:18
[9] Philippians 2:13
[10] Hebrews 13:5; 2 Corinthians 3:18
[11] 1 Timothy 1:16; Luke 15:4-7; Philippians 1:6
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Such beautiful encouragement to all of us as we prepare for the coming of Easter, Nancy. Thank you, Jesus, for loving us with such a sacrificial love that we might be purified and forgiven through your suffering and obedience to the Father.
Blessings!
Amen to your prayer as well, Martha!
And may I be a joyful participant along side of you! Wonderful post full of praise and love!
Thank you, Jean. I love the thought of us standing side by side in our desires and efforts to cooperate with God’s plans!
“Out of gratitude, I do want my love for you to overflow; out of love, I do want my submission to you to grow.” Yes!
Wishing you and your family a blessed Easter, Nancy.
Thank you, Mitch. May you and your also enjoy a blessed Easter. Praise God, He is risen!
Amen! TT
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I’m so glad to have your AMEN added to this prayer, Michele. We stand together in our desire to be perfected by our gracious Lord!
Amen! Thank you, Nancy, for sharing a passionate prayer for your readers to reflect upon. 🙏✝️🙏
You’re so welcome, Nancy. I do pray it is meaningful and encouraging for others.
Well, your prayers were answered, Nancy! 😁🙏✝️🙏
Praise God for that!
Amen and amen. Great are you Lord. How thankful I am for His sacrifice.
Yes indeed. Me too, Brenda. Where would we be without him!
Jesus is our model for everything. The amazing thing, besides His sacrifice, is that He still loves us even when we fall short of the mark–and we always do. Thank you, Jesus, for your unbounded love.
Amen, Linda! And thank you, Jesus, indeed.
Amen and amen to your intimate prayer, dear Nancy.
Thank you, Dianna. Praise God for his inspiration!
Oh Nancy, dare I saw that we all relate to these lines? “I’ve not been an easy project for you, Lord, given my stubbornness and slowness to learn.” Sometimes when I’m journaling this out with the Lord, I say, “I”m sorry we’re still working on this.” But then I look at that exact verse from Philippians, and it is comforting.
Happy Good Friday!
I’m glad you find comfort in that verse, Stacey. I have too over the years. That’s surely why God inspired Paul to write it–he knew we’d all need that encouragement!
I agree!
I don’t believe any of us have been an easy project for the Lord, considering our hearts are so prone to wander. We do belong to Him; and He never gives up on us. That’s the hope for the pain of Good Friday–Jesus never hesitated to do what the Father asked.
Amen, Dayle. All praise to our King Jesus for the supreme sacrifice he made for us!
Amen! Thank you for your encouraging prayer, Nancy!
Praise God you found encouragement here, Pam. May you experience a joy-filled Easter tomorrow, my friend He is risen!
Another post that I will save and ponder, Nancy. Thank you!
I’m so glad you found this post worth pondering, Patty. Praise God for his inspiration! May Easter 2026 be filled with blessings for you, my friend! He is risen!
He is risen indeed! May your Easter be full of many blessings as well.