He went a little farther

Matthew 26:39 Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will." 
 
When Jesus and His Father made a plan of redemption before time began, He knew what it would cost Him to pay the cost of our sins, yet He chose to do it. He came face to face with the final hours of His earthly life and now faced the trial ahead of Him head on. He had come to the time of betrayal and arrest. He knew far better than we do what lay ahead of Him. He grew up with the Roman method of crucifixion.  

Jesus faced the coming hours with deep sorrow and begged His Heavenly Father to take away the cup of sacrifice. He chose to drink of that cup out of love for us. He went a little farther out of love and obedience. 

Many in the Bible have gone a little farther. Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see the Lord. He went a little farther so that He could see Jesus. The woman with an issue of blood should never been in that crowd. She was ceremonially unclean, yet she went a little farther hoping for healing. Bartimaeus cried out for healing despite many telling him to be quiet. He stood against the crowd hoping for the return of his sight. 

The woman who anointed the feet of Jesus went a little farther. She faced the criticism and verbal abuse of the crowd so that she could give a love offering to the Lord. She was immortalized for her gift to Jesus. 
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It is very difficult to step out in faith on the path of obedience. When we feel we have hit a wall of frustration and insecurity, Jesus is asking us to go a little farther. He is asking us to take one more step and trust that He is leading us where He wants us to go. When the priests carried the Ark into the promised land, they first had to step into the raging river before the Lord dried up the river before them. The river was in flood stage but they put their feet in the water, trusting God to help them cross safely. (Joshua 3:14-17) God is not asking us to go forth blindly. He is asking us to go forth in faith and in prayer. ​

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