Wednesday 10 October, 2018

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

I see the very humanity of Jesus in this passage. Various bible versions use some of the following words, to try to describe the emotions Jesus was feeling as he approached death for our sin: overwhelmed, troubled, greatly distressed, agonising sorrow, crushed with grief, Jesus in one version says, “this sorrow is crushing my life out”.   Jesus, creator, eternal (Jn 1:1-4) was beginning to be crushed, his purpose was to become sin & die for us, for me, his life to redeem mine. He knew it was coming v39, v42, v44, He knew there was no other way for humanity to be resorted to the Father and He willingly surrendered to it. It’s important for me to see that Jesus went to his father in prayer at this crucial time, he sort courage, perseverance, resolve, to complete what was ahead.

Several things swirl in my mind as I’ve meditated on this passage:

• Jesus went to his father in prayer at the most critical point of his earthly life, he didn’t try to do it alone, or turn his back on his father God but trusted; I need to do the same.
• Jesus sort the support of friends during his darkest time; I need to do the same.
• Sin will crush our lives out if not surrendered & brought to the foot of the cross where Jesus paid the ultimate price for it; I need to continually make sure my heart is surrendered.

Father, may I never be flippant about the cost of my sin, the agonising sorrow, that Jesus took for me.

Written by Suzie Hodgson