“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.’ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’ 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.’
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter. ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’
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.’
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting?...’” - Matthew 26:38-44
Three times Christ prayed that God would change His plans...
Luke 22:44 even says: "And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground."
Have you even been so stressed out that you sweat blood? Me neither. It's amazing how our bodies exhibit stress. I've written on here before about how bad my anxiety attacks have been - my mind has raced making it near to impossible to get a clear thought, I've lost full nights of sleep on numerous occasions, had severe migraines for weeks, been so irritable to the point where I've isolated myself for days, my hair has fallen out...but not once have I sweat drops of blood. I’ve heard cases of people who struggle with anxiety so much that they can’t even leave their home - but none of those cases involved sweating drops of blood.
Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what He was soon going to go through - and it "overwhelmed" Him "with sorrow to the point of death."
Yet putting aside every overwhelming feeling and denying Himself, He prayed for God's will.
There's a part of me that wants to know exactly what Christ was feeling that night. To feel, even for one second, the amount of stress and sorrow that was overwhelming Him. To know His exact thoughts and struggles - maybe then I would better understand just how great a sacrifice it was for Him.
We've heard and read the story of Christ's crucifixion and the moments leading up to it hundreds of times.
We've heard His prayer in Gethsemane on countless occasions. We know how it goes - or at least we think we do...
What about the earlier years of His life? Did He always think about who He was and what was to come? Even when He was a child? What child do you know would hear of pain to come and run to it rather than from it?
I’ve heard the song Garden by NEEDTOBREATHE probably a hundred times - but it wasn't until I had heard it probably 50 times that I realized just what it was talking about…
Won't you take this cup from me
Cause fear has stolen all my sleep
If tomorrow means my death
I pray you'll save their souls with it
Let the songs I sing
Bring joy to you
Let the words I say profess my love
Let the notes I choose
Be your favorite tune
Father let my heart be after you
In this hour of doubt I see
But who I am is not just me
So give me strength to die myself
So love can live to tell the tale
Let the songs I sing
Bring joy to you
Let the words I say profess my love
Let the notes I choose
Be your favorite tune
Father let my heart be after you
Father let my heart be...
For you
Let the songs I sing
Bring joy to you
Let the words I say profess my love
Let the notes I choose
Be your favorite tune
Father let my heart be after you
What if Jesus had changed His mind that night in the garden? What if His prayer in Gethsemane went differently - maybe a little closer to the outcome we deserve... "All of these people I am about to die for are hopeless. I've walked the earth for years with them and they have watched me do miracles day after day and yet they still betray me. I'm not giving my life for them. They deserve nothing but every horrible punishment that comes their way. They deserve Hell."
But He wanted to obey God and save us more than He wanted to save Himself...
Christ prays for God’s will for us…and all the while we are sleeping…
And through our actions of disobedience we continue to tell Him that all that He went through - all of His suffering and what He did wasn't enough - that He wasn't enough.
Sometimes, remembering what He did for me isn't the problem - It’s realizing what it meant. And not allowing myself to forget…
Let faith arise in spite of
what I see Lord I believe
But help my unbelief
I choose to trust You
No matter what I feel, let faith arise
Let faith arise
For my champion's not dead, He is alive!
Oh, and He already knows my every need
Surely He will come and rescue me
God of miracles come
We need Your supernatural
love to break through
Nothing's impossible
You're the God of miracles
Let faith arise and see the kingdom come
I lift my eyes, oh
for the battle has been won
My God is faithful, oh
and every single word
He said is true, oh
This world is shaking
but You cannot be shaken
My heart is breaking
but I'm not broken yet
Your love is fearless
Help me to be courageous too
Oh there is nothing impossible
For the God of miracles
We need Your supernatural love
To break through, nothing's impossible
You're the God of miracles
God of Miracles – Chris McClarney
