Delight to Do God's Will

To offer God service that he will accept, we  must follow the example of Jesus Christ.  "I seek, not my own will," he said, "but the will of him that sent me." (John 5:30) Jesus found great happiness in willingly serving God.  Jesus fulfilled David's prophetic words:  "To do your will, oh my God, I have delighted." -Psalm 40:8.

Although Jesus delighted to do God's will, this was not always easy. Consider what happened just before his arrest, trial, and execution. While in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was "deeply grieved" and got "into an agony."  So intense was the emotional pressure that, as he prayed, "his sweat turned became as drops of blood falling to the ground." -Matthew 26:38; Luke 22:44. 

Why did Jesus experience such agony? Certainly not because of self-interest or any reluctance to do God's will. He was prepared to die, even reacting strongly to Peter's words: "Be kind to yourself, Lord; you will not have this destiny at all."  (Matthew 16:21-23)  What concerned Jesus was how his death as a despised criminal would affect Jehovah and His holy name. Jesus was aware that his Father would be greatly pained to see his beloved Son treated in such a barbaric fashion.

Jesus also understood that he was approaching a pivotal time in the outworking of Jehovah's purpose. Faithful adherence to God's laws would demonstrate beyond doubt that Adam could have made the  same choice. Jesus' faithfulness would expose as entirely false Satan's assertion that humans under test would not willingly  and faithfully serve God. By means of Jesus, Jehovah would ultimately crush Satan and remove the effects of his rebellion. -Genesis 3:15.

What an enormous responsibility rested on Jesus' shoulders!  His Father's name, universal peace and salvation of the human family all depended on Jesus' faithfulness. Realizing this, he prayed:  "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will."  (Matthew 26:39)  Even under the severest stress, Jesus never faltered in his willingness to submit to his Father's will.

Next time: 'The Spirit Is Eager, but the Flesh Is Weak'

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000