John 12:27-33: a reflection

27“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? But I came to this time for this cause. 28Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes. 31Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.

As his hour of suffering approaches, Jesus is honest about his inner distress: Now my soul is troubled. And he voices the prayer he might have prayed to escape it, only to set it aside: What shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But he refuses that prayer, for it was precisely for this hour that he came: But for this cause I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Rather than pray to escape his appointed suffering, Jesus embraced it, because it was the very purpose for which he had come.

Notice that Jesus, though troubled, embraced his hard hour rather than praying to escape it. His soul was troubled; the suffering ahead was real, and he might have asked to be spared it. But he set that prayer aside, for the suffering was the very reason he had come; to escape it would be to abandon his purpose. So he prayed instead, Father, glorify your name, embracing the hour for the sake of what it would accomplish. And he declared what it would accomplish: when he was lifted up, he would draw all people to himself. He embraced the cross for the sake of the salvation it would bring.

That is worth pondering, for it shows both Christ's love and a pattern for facing our own hard callings. Jesus did not pray to escape the suffering he came for, though it troubled his soul; he embraced it for the sake of its purpose, for the sake of us whom he would draw to himself. And there are times when we too face a hard thing that is the very purpose to which God has called us, which we are tempted to pray our way out of. When you face a hard calling that troubles your soul, do not only pray to escape it; consider whether it is the very purpose to which God has called you, and, like Christ, embrace it for the sake of what God would accomplish through it. Christ embraced his troubling hour for our sake, praying not to be saved from it but that God's name be glorified; follow him in embracing the hard callings that are your purpose, rather than only seeking escape, trusting that God is glorified and good accomplished through what he calls you to bear.

Lord Jesus, as your hour of suffering approached, you were honest about your inner distress: now my soul is troubled. And you voiced the prayer you might have prayed to escape it, only to set it aside: what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But you refused that prayer, for it was precisely for this hour that you came: but for this cause I came to this hour; Father, glorify your name. Rather than pray to escape your appointed suffering, you embraced it, because it was the very purpose for which you had come. Show me that you, though troubled, embraced your hard hour rather than praying to escape it. Your soul was troubled; yet you set that prayer aside, for the suffering was the very reason you had come. So you prayed, Father, glorify your name, embracing the hour for the sake of what it would accomplish: that lifted up, you would draw all people to yourself. You embraced the cross for the salvation it would bring. Let me ponder that, for it shows both your love and a pattern for facing my own hard callings. You did not pray to escape the suffering you came for; you embraced it for our sake. And there are times when I too face a hard thing that is the very purpose to which you have called me. When I face a hard calling that troubles my soul, keep me from only praying to escape it; help me consider whether it is the very purpose to which you have called me, and, like you, embrace it for the sake of what you would accomplish. Help me follow you in embracing the hard callings that are my purpose, Lord, rather than only seeking escape.