Tonight, many years ago, Jesus would share his last meal with His disciples, accuse one of them of betraying Him, give them their first Communion, and one disciple would make a vow that Jesus knew he would never keep. Then He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.
It is there, in the garden, that we feel Jesus' despair. He tells the disciples that He is sorrowful to the point of death. He asks them to stay and keep watch because even though His Spirit is willing to go the distance, He knows that His flesh is weak. He knows that Satan will tempt Him. He needs the support of His followers, His friends. While Jesus falls on His face and begins to cry out to The Father, His friends, who were to keep watch..........slept.
In that garden our Savior and Redeemer is human. He isn't healing anyone. He isn't blasting the Pharisee's. He isn't speaking in parables. He is one of us and He is scared. He is asking, begging if you will, for God to find another way to save us. He knows what is about to happen and He doesn't want to do it. Then, in one of the most incredible acts of the New Testament, He says.....'not my will, but Your will be done.' In His heart He must have known there was no other way. His desire to be obedient to the Father and His love for us was so much greater than His fear of what was to come.
There are so many stories and verses in the Bible, but none of them make my heart react the way this one does. So human and yet soooo God. Oh, how He loves us. Oh, how I love Him.
It is there, in the garden, that we feel Jesus' despair. He tells the disciples that He is sorrowful to the point of death. He asks them to stay and keep watch because even though His Spirit is willing to go the distance, He knows that His flesh is weak. He knows that Satan will tempt Him. He needs the support of His followers, His friends. While Jesus falls on His face and begins to cry out to The Father, His friends, who were to keep watch..........slept.
In that garden our Savior and Redeemer is human. He isn't healing anyone. He isn't blasting the Pharisee's. He isn't speaking in parables. He is one of us and He is scared. He is asking, begging if you will, for God to find another way to save us. He knows what is about to happen and He doesn't want to do it. Then, in one of the most incredible acts of the New Testament, He says.....'not my will, but Your will be done.' In His heart He must have known there was no other way. His desire to be obedient to the Father and His love for us was so much greater than His fear of what was to come.
There are so many stories and verses in the Bible, but none of them make my heart react the way this one does. So human and yet soooo God. Oh, how He loves us. Oh, how I love Him.
4 comments:
I only wish I could have this obedience to my Father. I cannot even fathom the...loyalty that comes from the heart of Jesus to His father. Would I, Could I - submit myself, even to death, for His sake? I'm not sure I can say yes to that, with total truthfulness. Good blog sister. Another true and 'lyrical' post!
Yes, along with sister Lori, God gave Jesus the heart so full of love, such a wonderful Son to honor his Father and to love us. We rejoice, for there is none greater, thank you Heather. Nana C
I think back to the movie the passion when he was in the garden. He knew he had to do this final act and even Jesus waivered for just a moment, but then said,"Not my will but thine will." Man there are so many times when we need to say that but we just let our pesky flesh rule.
Wow! Our posts were similar! Jesus was so human , yet divine!
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