Holy Week Meditations!

I wonder how the Master felt when Judas, one of His own, covenanted with the chief priests and captains to betray Jesus unto them.  The hour soon came for the last Passover.  Jesus sat down with the 12 and said -- "I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."  Then Jesus announced ". . . the hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table."  I wonder what Judas thought and felt at that awful moment!!

It is very hard now to walk to the Garden with Jesus and see Him agonizing there!  In the 22nd chapter of Luke, God's Holy Word says:
     "And He came out, and went, as He was wont, to the mount of Olives: and His disciples also followed Him.
      And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
      Saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine be done.    
      And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 
      And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

This scene grips my heart as I see Jesus, in His humanity, agonizing in prayer and pleading with His Father to remove the cup, if it be possible, but then adds the blessed words of surrender -- "Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine, be done!"  He was in such travail of soul that an angel came from heaven and strengthened Him.

He rose up from prayer, went to the disciples, and found them sleeping!  There must have been great sadness in Jesus' heart and voice when He said -- 'Could you not watch with Me one hour'?
Jesus went back to the place of prayer again, and was in great agony, praying even more earnestly, until His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood!  But when He rose from prayer this time, it was settled!!
He was ready for the multitude, the betrayal kiss of Judas, the denial of Peter, the sentencing of Pilate, the deriding of the rulers, the mockery of the soldiers----until Jesus could say from the Cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do"!!

I have often meditated on this scene in the garden.  It shows me a beautiful picture of complete and humble surrender to the Father's will,

I wonder today --Have You had a Gethsemane?