Nevertheless…

Luke 22: 41-42 “41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will⁠, but thine, be done.”

I don't know about y'all, but growing up I heard these scriptures in relation to Easter and the atonement, all the time. I love them. They teach us that Christ’s love for us and for our Heavenly Father surpasses anything else on this earth. They give us the beautiful example of what to strive for. As we celebrate Easter and the love and sacrifice of our Savior, I want to talk about another gift Christ’s atonement can give us and that is the gift of an eternal family.

Luke 22:43 “43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” Christ’s Atonement not only makes it so that we can be healed, but also allows us to repent and return home. It not only allows us to be strengthened and supported, but it also allows us access to an eternal family. Because of the Atonement, because Christ rose from the grave 3 days later, we are not separated from our family by death.

In Luke 22:43, we are taught about an angel who came to strengthen the Lord. I have angels living and dead who have come to strengthen me in times of hardship. The thing is, they will always be my family. Living or dead, because Christ suffered for our sins. Died on the cross and rose again 3 days later! Because of this, we have eternal families. There is one more lesson, though.

The other lesson I have learned is that Heavenly Father did not leave Him. The Antonment needed to be performed, we need someone who can stand by our side and balance the scales of justice and mercy. Christ did this for us, and just like we sometimes need strength in our weakest moments, Heavenly Father sent His Son strength in the form of an angel. I am so grateful for this and so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This is something I could talk about forever, but I will leave you with this. Your Savior loves you, he knows our sufferings and our sins, yet he still loves us and asks us to come to him to be healed.

Reffrences

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Holy Bible: King James Version. Luke 22: 41–42. ChurchofJesusChrist.org, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/luke/22. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Holy Bible: King James Version. Luke 22: 43. ChurchofJesusChrist.org, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/luke/22. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.