It is very hard to walk with Jesus today to the Garden and see Him agonizing there. This scene (Luke 22:39-44) grips my heart as I see Jesus, in His humanity, agonizing in prayer and pleading with His Heavenly Father to remove the cup, if it be possible -- but then, the Scripture says He adds these blessed words of complete surrender to the Father's will -- "Nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done". God's Word says that Jesus was in such travail of soul that an angel from heaven came and strengthened Him.
He then rose up from prayer, went to His 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 He sweat great drops of blood! But when He rose up from prayer this time, it was settled! Praise the Lord!
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 He 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'm so very thankful today that I've been to the Garden, and found that "Nothing Sweeter can be known than Full Surrender to the Perfect Will of God"!
Have you had a Gethsemane?
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