…and being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke 22:44
▀ Will
you pray with me while I meditate on the Garden of Gethsemane? Last night I went to the house of worship in
remembrance of Good Friday. As I meditated on the goodness of Lord God Almighty,
I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
The Holy Spirit rose up in me and for moments that went on forever, I
cried intense tears of unrestraint appreciation for the love my Abba Father has
for me and you. “For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)
Why was I so overcome last night? Why was I so moved? Why did the rivers of emotion bust forth with
such conviction? It’s not like this was
my first time worshipping on a Good Friday. I’ve heard countless sermons before
on the Garden of Gethsemane, I’ve heard, like you, the scripture John 3:16 over
and over and over again, yet never the intensity of Holy Ghost movement as I
experience last night. And now as I share with you, I must remind myself to not
dwell on the why. I most narrow my focus
to the LOVE of my Abba
Father. It really is no mystery; it’s
just love. Hallelujah! Note in that one verse of John 3:16, God did
three things. Let’s count them: 1. Loved us. 2. Gave His ‘only’ 3. Promised
eternal life! Can we love HIM as much
as HE loves us? Can we?
Luke 22: 42 “Father, if you are
willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43
An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And
being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood
falling to the ground.
The cup that Jesus wanted taken from him
was not the cup of pain, rejection,
torture, humiliation, and disgrace that he would suffer on the cross, but the
pain of separation from His father
God Almighty. God will not look upon
sin! Do we cry out like that of Christ Jesus when we knowingly sin? Jesus was sinless! Yet for our sake, He took on the sin debt of
the world, to set us from death. That
was the anguish of Gethsemane.
Are we earnestly praying for direction to walk in the
footsteps of Jesus? Are we crying out
for forgiveness of sin that our names are written in the Book of Life? Jesus died for us. Why not LIVE for Him?
In
Christ,
Playwright
Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible
Stories Theatre of
Fine
& Performing Arts (BSTFPA)
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