“My
Soul Is Exceedingly Sorrowful,
Even
To Death”
Then
they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples,
“Sit here while I pray.” And He took Peter,
James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply
distressed. Then He said to them, “My
soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”
He
went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were
possible, the hour might pass from Him.
And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me;
nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
Then
He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping?
Could you not watch one hour? Watch and
pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak.”
Again
He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words.
Mark 14:32-39
If
you visit the village of Capernaum beside the Sea of Gallilee,
you will find an exhibit of ancient oil presses. Olives were place in a trough,
and then a wheel made of heavy stone, was rolled over the olives to extract the
oil.
On
the night before His death, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives overlooking the
city of Jerusalem. There, in the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed to the Father,
knowing what lay ahead of Him.
The
word Gethsemane means “place of the
olive press,” and that perfectly describes those first crushing hours of
Christ’s suffering on our behalf. There, “in anguish, he prayed…and his sweat
was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Jesus
the Son suffered and died to take away “the sin of the world.” He restored our
broken relationship with God the Father. “Surely he took up our pain and bore
our suffering…He was piece for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wound
we are healed.”
Our
hearts cry out in worship and gratitude.
Gone my transgressions, and now I am free – all
because Jesus was wounded for me.
Our
Daily Bread – March 24, 2016