“For he was in such agony of spirit that he broke into a sweat of blood , with great drops falling to the ground as he prayed more and more earnestly. Luke 22:44 (TLB)
Jesus kneels in the dry dust of Gethsemane, sobbing, crying, shaking, and pleading with the Father. The desert, thought of as hot, scorching sand, becomes surprisingly cool at night, as the heat of the day bleeds away into the starry night. Our King shivers as a cool breeze cuts through His tunic. He begs God “Is there any other way?” When the horrifying answer comes, although Christ was expecting it, He stretches out, facedown, in the dirt and dust of The Mount of Olives. Jesus cries “Even so, Father, not my will but thine.”
Despite long being aware of it, the horrifying violence and cruelty of His purpose makes Him reel. The stench of sins He must cover nauseates Him. The competing emotions of love, for His lambs, fear, of the torture soon to come, and victory ,over the power of Satan, coalesce, upsetting His stomach and unsettling His mind. As the pressure and the magnitude of what must occur consume His thoughts, His prayers grow more fervent, deeper and more powerful. He begins to sweat blood from the pores of His body. So deep in prayer for us, though, the Messiah barely notices.
What was Christ praying for on that chilly night so long ago? He was praying for me, and for you, and for all that would come to Him. He was praying that His sacrifice would not be in vain. That night, Jesus prayed for you. Won’t you accept the gift He offers to all who seek it? Be an answer to that ancient prayer and honor the Messiah by giving Him control of your life. Accept His gift of eternal life. Drink some of His living water, and never thirst again. Claim the salvation that Our Deliverer paid such a high price for you to have.
Copyright 2007 Timothy E. Davis