If I knew I would soon die I would have many regrets, but would be thankful for the knowledge and make the best of the moments yet to come. If I knew I would soon suffer and then die, I believe I would be wretched. I don’t do suffering well. I become surly, sour, and petulant. When I suffer, I quickly lose my natural gift to see things others cannot see and instead only focus on me. It is the absence of character, a source of shame.
Adjacent to the climax of the suffering of the Incarnate, He paused with his friends and gave thanks to God. The gospels do not record the text of the thanksgiving, but it may have sounded something like this,
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Jesus broke bread and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
How did the sufferer say, “Blessed be God who will take this ‘dust’ and allow it to be broken?”
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Jesus took a cup of wine and uttered another thanksgiving, perhaps,
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. Let us gratefully drink.
Jesus then handed the cup of wine to his closest friends and said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins…”
How did the sufferer say, “Blessed be God who will take this sinless life and pour it out so that many will have their sinful existences covered and then forgiven?”
This upcoming week my friends at Main Street will consider these questions. When we meet for worship on Memorial Day weekend, we will center our worship around the Lord’s table and speak to the questions the prayer of the Suffering Servant, Jesus the Messiah, bring to us in this day.
TheNarrowRoadPursued 
I have often paused to wonder what the Lord was thinking when He went thru the routine of the meal that illustrated His own brokenness and death. However did He keep His mind “in the moment” and not become distracted by the imminent? I think that perhaps you have alluded to the answer for us all, “in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I am striving so very hard to make this a part of my every moment life.
Roberta, I too confess that I’m struggling with this. And I have no excuse. I spent this entire day surrounded by my wife, children and grandchildren and seldom gave God a thought, much less my thanks. Like Paul, most of us have had times of need and times of plenty. I find I struggle more in the plenty.