In The Garden of Gethsemane

Dear Friends,

In The Garden of Gethsemane
Image by Heather Truett from Pixabay 

In recent weeks I’ve been thinking and meditating on Jesus’ experience in the Garden of Gethsemane. Whilst it represented to Jesus one of the most painful times in his life, I have drawn much comfort from it and it’s this comfort which I want to share with you. 

They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 

He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 

Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 

Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say. 

When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Mark 14:32-41 (NLT) 

Jesus tells his three closest friends that his soul is crushed with grief. He is deeply troubled and distressed. The Garden of Gethsemane is a great metaphor for what was happening within Jesus. Olives grew in the garden and an olive press was used to crush the olives in order to produce olive oil. Jesus experienced there what it was to feel crushed. It was incredibly painful but something good came from that crushing. We have received eternal life and a relationship with God as a result. 

Jesus’ friends may have been close in the physical sense of being nearby. But at the same time, they weren’t close to him emotionally or spiritually. They had no idea of the torment Jesus was feeling. He must have felt so alone and abandoned by those who were closest to him. 

I find such comfort in knowing that Jesus knows what it is like to experience suffering and pain. He knows exactly what it means to suffer and he understands what you and I go through. Others may have abandoned us in our suffering, unable to understand exactly what we are going through. We may feel so alone. Yet Jesus is right there with us in our pain and our suffering. He doesn’t leave us to face it on our own. 

Jesus knew who he needed to go to with his pain and he opened his heart to God. His example is one we can all follow. Most of the time we may keep to ourselves what we are going through. We may feel it is too painful to share with others. Yet we can go to God and pour out our hearts to him. We can be honest with God. We don’t need to hide anything from him. He cares. We can cry our tears and receive comfort from him as we do so. I love the following verse: 

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 (NLT) 

Jesus’ prayer in the garden has shaped some of my own prayers. Jesus prayed: 

“Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (v36) 

Again, we see Jesus’ honesty. He knows everything is possible for God and he asks God to take this cup of suffering away, knowing that God can do so. Yet he follows on with total surrender to God praying he wants God’s will to be done and not his own. 

Jesus prayed this prayer three times, there must have been some kind of battle raging within him, but in the end, his desire to do God’s will won out. 

It isn’t easy to get to that point of surrender. To share with God what you want, but then be willing to go on to say, "But your will be done, God." I think it’s something that can only be learned in the trial. It’s easy to say we want what God wants when that’s in line with our own wants and desires. But to say we want God’s will when it is the opposite of our will is a whole other matter. 

Yet it is possible when we keep in close relationship with God, when he means more to us than anyone or anything, and when we trust that his will is far better for us than going our own way. 

In Luke’s Gospel, we read, “Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.” Luke 22:43 (NLT) 

God didn’t abandon Jesus at his hour of need. He sent one of his angels to strengthen him. This is evidence that God heard, listened and acted on Jesus’ behalf. This enabled Jesus to stand strong and fulfil what God had planned for him to do. 

The strength God gave Jesus to fulfil his purpose, he also gives to us. Time and again when I have prayed and said I just can’t take any more, God has met me in my need and he has strengthened me so I can continue to face the day. It is especially in my weakness I am aware of his strength working in and through me. 

Will you do as Jesus did? Get alone with God, away from others and any distractions.  Will you share with him honestly about how you are feeling, the struggles you are facing? 

To Think About:

Imagine God sitting beside you, listening to you as you pour out your heart to him. Then be quiet before him and rest in his presence. Wait and receive his comfort. Do you sense he wants to say something to you?

What can you learn about the way Jesus prayed to his Father that could help you in your praying?

Vicki

(This blog post first appeared in COME Together Newletter Spring 2019)

If you enjoyed reading this devotional blog, then you may like to know that I have two devotional books both of which are available to buy from Amazon. (The content of these books is material adapted from past blog posts.)

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