36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray.""
Gethsemane..Outside Jerusalem
..."the victory of the hill was won in the grove..."
S.D. Gordon
Just a small garden outside Jerusalem became one of the two most famous in the Bible.
The other became a sinful Garden of Eden and this Garden of Gethsemane became
ground for prayer in the midst of a historical betrayal and even a denial by the leader of His disciples.
What draws my attention is the first part of verse 36. Jesus must have been aware that the disciples he took along with him would not be able to last all night in prayer, but he set the example for them then as He did for all. In His pain of rejection by those who had declared their Hosannah's on His arrival, Jesus took the cup willingly and set about
to horrendous physical pain.
This gives me rise for a further consideration of the hymn "In the Garden." This song eludes to coming to the garden "alone". Truly there are many things we have to do alone.
More specifically, our acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah and surrender to Him as Lord.
But, then there are times when we face major events in our lives. Those that test the very essence of our strength and spirit within. It's my belief that... that Thursday night
in the garden was to finalize His teachings to His disciples on who He was, what He had to do and then where He would have to go. He was far less focused on the pain to come than the possibility that the people would not understand his favorite title "Son of Man".
God became a man in the incarnation in order that we may be able to see what He would be, if in body and not spirit. Jesus chose not to use divine powers and lived among us as a man...thus the Son of Man, and the Son of God.
I am a simple man and there is so much I don't understand. I do however, know the importance of coming to that point of confronting and the need for others God provides.
Those who have special insight, a willingness to share....Those Who Care.
For me, a lesson to remember. When times seem unbearable, we should be so blessed to have true friends, who will objectively help us through the hardest of times, and be a constant resource as we overcome, in Christ. A wise move would be to take them with us, in body or mind.
O Lord...
I'll sing a simple songI'll move along
doing in the best I can.
But when my day is done..
with the setting sun...
I'll sing that simple song
to the Holy One....
for at his feet
I'll lay a crown
and beckon to His every command.
It's simple this faith of mine...
It's a complex world by His hand.
It’s simple by measure…
But so much the treasure
To have special friends to walk along.
But as the sparrow sings.
My voice will ring..
It's a simple song
from a simple man…
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