LENT 2016 – GOING TO JERUSALEM

Thursday, March 17

Jesus Prays at Gethsemane: Matthew 26: 36 - 46

            I am reading a fantasy book in which one of the favourite sayings of the hero is, “It is better to do it than live with the fear of doing it.”  It comes to his mind whenever he is facing something dangerous or risky situations – which is often.

            God’s Champion is facing the hardest test of his life. He has come into the Garden of Gethsemane to mull it all over one last time.  Grieved and agitated, sorrowful or troubled, plunging into agonizing sorrow – however we translate verse 37, the mantle of God’s mission is weighing very heavily upon him. “This sorrow is crushing my life out.” (The Message Bible)

            I have always identified this scene with the words in Hebrews 2, verse 18: “Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.”  For anyone who forgets or ignores that Jesus is fully human, this scene brings us back to earth. He is no eager, willing martyr. He is afraid, upset, worried and disturbed by the ordeal which he is being called upon to endure. "My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?"

            We all know and have experienced what Jesus was going through at Gethsemane. Perhaps, we don’t have the same sense of purpose, but most of us have had to deal with tragedy, suffering, pain, diseases, loss and fear which throws us on our knees before God. Pleadingly, we pray, “Not now,” or “Not this,” or “Why me?” or “Help me!” or “Anything but this.”  Jesus’ experience does very little to address why bad things happen to good people or why God allows human suffering.

            But the story does give us a glimpse into what Jesus was going to do to get through it all. Jesus was going to rely on the powerful strength of God to see him through. Jesus gave his whole life and therefore his life’s end over to God, trusting that God’s Love for him will endure to the very end.  “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done,” (v.42)

            Let’s not be glib or facile about this. The horror of crucifixion remained; the nails no less menacing or excruciating. Jesus did not just seem to suffer, but not really. His sacred nature did not shield him from the pain or the resulting death. Everything that was causing him grief and sorrow in the Garden happened to him and then some. This was not “virtual suffering”; it was painfully and agonizingly real.

            Yet, except for one terrible moment of feeling abandoned as he hung on the cross, Jesus freely chose to put his life and death in God’s hands. It was a terrible risk. What if Jesus had been wrong about everything he believed?  Then he is just some poor wretch who died for nothing. He should have run away when he had the chance.

            Instead, Jesus made it through all that pain, suffering and death, and found New Life. Now, because of what he suffered for us, he is able to grab us by the hand and pull us through when we are ready to give up, when we feel that we cannot take another step, when it hurts like hell to live, and the inevitably of sorrow is just around the next corner.

            “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” (Hebrews 4: 15 – 16).