"My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me." Matthew 26:38-40

The Lord Jesus Christ was struggling with death; He was sweating great drops of blood going through the agonies of death. Jesus asked His disciples to pray with Him, watch with Him.

V:39 continues, "And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?"

Because of the struggle, He later says to His disciples in MAT 26:45, "Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." He was submitted to the will of the Father; He said, "nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

Jesus knew He would step into the wrath of the Father; He knew the Father could save Him from that hour if it was His will. When Jesus understood, unmistakably, that it was the will of the Father, His struggle was over.

The proof of Jesus' submission to His Father's will comes in the next verse. "Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." It is going to happen, He is going to die stepping into the Father's wrath. The matter is settled and the struggle is over.

When you and I can truly understand what this is, to pray from our heart, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven," the struggle of every trial ends right there because we come into a passive obedience; now we come into a total resignation to the will of the Father.

Here is the heart of true prayer, not "Lord do my will," but "Lord prepare my heart's desire, and strengthen me to do thy will." So often we come before the Lord trying to tell Him what to do. True prayer is "Thy will be done."