Christ's Obedience Led to Our Blessing
On this Easter morning, as we rejoice in celebration of our risen Savior, let's be grateful for the obedience that Jesus displayed to make this day a reality. It really was the ultimate act of obedience to God. Three times Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, three times asking God if there was another way, and hearing from our Father that there was not, three times said, "may Your will be done." ( Matthew 26:36-42 ) I've often wondered of the significance of the number three here. The number three typically represents divine completeness. It is used often in scripture. For example, Peter denied Christ three times (after the rooster crowed three times), and Jesus later reinstated Peter by asking him three times if he loved him. For me, an even closer parallel for the garden prayer is found in John's account of what took place right before Jesus was arrested. Jesus prayed three times - once for himself, once for his disciples, and a final time for all