“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done” -- Luke 22:42
In reading this scripture, quoting Jesus’ words in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives the night before His crucifixion, do we brush over His speaking of the cup, not sure what cup He is referring to, and what its contents held? Do we truly understand the substance of this cup?
For most of us, a cup represents coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, something most of us enjoy drinking, especially as a comfort on a dreary morning or long day. Because it is pleasantly presented to us, we might find it difficult to understand what Jesus was saying when He asked God the Father to take this cup away from Him.
Because many pastors don’t talk much, or at all, about the wrath of God, some believers may not know the cup Jesus is referring to is the wrath of God.
Addressing God’s Wrath
God’s wrath isn’t discussed much in churches today, because it’s not a popular Bible study topic or book theme. It doesn’t make most of us feel warm and cozy, so it’s not often addressed. Many believers do not even know or understand that they are being saved from it because of Jesus’ death on the cross.
As 1 Thessalonians 5:9 explains, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Yet, Jesus took God’s wrath upon Himself for us. He took our place so that we would not experience it. But for those who do not receive Salvation through Jesus, God’s wrath is still to come because they have chosen to bear it themselves.
Romans 1:18-19 describes the situation they are in: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.”
As well, as explained in John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
God’s Wrath Swept under the Church Rug
Nowadays, God’s wrath isn’t very culturally palatable or acceptable, and it's probably not even discussed or recognized in most of our churches, because we don’t want to scare people away or even think about God having to satisfy His wrath.
We want to focus more on a loving God who brings us joy, peace, and contentment, not on one who holds wrath in reserve. But just as much as a loving God is true, so is God’s wrath true, and one that calls us to recognize that for a just and holy God, sin has to be dealt with for us to live eternally in His peace and love.
Paying attention to God’s wrath means we have to pay attention to sin and can’t shy away from it as urged in Colossians 3:5-6: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry because of these, the wrath of God is coming.”
Yet, humankind’s sin and disobedience to God is the driving force behind His wrath. As Ephesians 5:6 describes, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.”
His wrath against sin is also why we are free from avenging sins against us on our own, as Romans 12:19 explains, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
Jesus Rescued Us from God’s Wrath
Because Jesus bore God’s wrath Himself for us, as Christians, we are set free and clear from the wrath of God, as the Apostle Paul explains in Romans 5:9, “Since His blood has now justified us, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!”
We, who believe in Him, have been rescued from it, as 1 Thessalonians 1:10 describes, “And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father, my heart is overflowing with gratitude, Lord, for Jesus’ rescuing me from wrath and freeing me from the responsibility of avenging those who sin against You and against me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Thursday, 16 April 2026.
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