Holy Week Meditations

As we continue our journey to the Cross, today we see Jesus sending Peter and John to prepare the Passover.  In the 22nd chapter of Luke, we read:
     "And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.  And He said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
      And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me.
      Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you.  But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table."  --  I wonder what Judas thought and felt at that awful moment!

After supper, the scripture says -- "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of olives."  It is hard to walk with Jesus to the Garden and see Him agonizing there.  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  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine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 until the Scripture says "He was in such travail of soul that an angel from heaven came and strengthened Him" as He pled with His Father to remove the cup if it be possible, but then He adds the blessed words of complete surrender to the Father's will -- "nevertheless not My will, but Thine be done."
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"?

The scene moves ahead to this Holy Week of 2020.  The Master sees me and you just like He saw Judas so long ago.  As we journey with Jesus through this Holy Week, may these words from the 139th Psalm be the longing of our hearts and the prayer on our lips:

     "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  Amen.