Garden
"I think we all reach the question of the garden at some point in our lives. A moment comes when we have to decide: Will I go my way or God's? Will I follow my path or his? Will I choose the sensible, practical route of doubt, or is my faith big enough to say yes to God no matter where it leads or what it means?"
You know, if I were God, I think I would take a brand new Christian, give him a little time to get his feet wet, really start to experience what Christianity is all about and then BAM! I'd clearly lay his life plan out in front of him while the iron is still burning hot in his heart. Yes, there's much to be said for experience but a new Christian is almost guaranteed to say "Yes!" to Jesus because they are just do darn happy to finally have their eyes opened to life. Seems like a home run to me. I mean, afterall, if you were wanting someone to join a convent or move to Zimbabwe or become a priest, that would certainly be the time to announce it. :-)
But I digress...
I don't think there is anything scarier in the Bible than the part where Jesus is in the garden. It's one thing to agree to do this when you're Jesus hanging out in the galaxies with the Father and the Holy Spirit but come on down and experience pain - physical and emotional - and tell me you don't waiver a bit. I bet there was some pretty intense grieving in that garden. Saying "yes" to death is just not how we're made as humans. We go kicking and screaming because this is LIFE, afterall!
And we'll never know exactly why Christ wanted the cup taken from Him or why He struggled with it for so long when He already knew the end result but I have to think it was Jesus's most human hour. We can sacrifice a lot for our God but laying down our actual physical life has got to be the ultimate expression of love and worship.
To be honest with you, this is one of the parts of the story I like best because, to me, it proves that Jesus was who He said He was. He might have wrestled with God about it but you don't see Him panic and run. You don't even see Him put up a fight. He just takes it and takes it and takes it. To me - this shows that He was no ordinary man. The intense feeling of "fight or flight" would surely have overwhelmed an ordinary man...
You know, if I were God, I think I would take a brand new Christian, give him a little time to get his feet wet, really start to experience what Christianity is all about and then BAM! I'd clearly lay his life plan out in front of him while the iron is still burning hot in his heart. Yes, there's much to be said for experience but a new Christian is almost guaranteed to say "Yes!" to Jesus because they are just do darn happy to finally have their eyes opened to life. Seems like a home run to me. I mean, afterall, if you were wanting someone to join a convent or move to Zimbabwe or become a priest, that would certainly be the time to announce it. :-)
But I digress...
I don't think there is anything scarier in the Bible than the part where Jesus is in the garden. It's one thing to agree to do this when you're Jesus hanging out in the galaxies with the Father and the Holy Spirit but come on down and experience pain - physical and emotional - and tell me you don't waiver a bit. I bet there was some pretty intense grieving in that garden. Saying "yes" to death is just not how we're made as humans. We go kicking and screaming because this is LIFE, afterall!
And we'll never know exactly why Christ wanted the cup taken from Him or why He struggled with it for so long when He already knew the end result but I have to think it was Jesus's most human hour. We can sacrifice a lot for our God but laying down our actual physical life has got to be the ultimate expression of love and worship.
To be honest with you, this is one of the parts of the story I like best because, to me, it proves that Jesus was who He said He was. He might have wrestled with God about it but you don't see Him panic and run. You don't even see Him put up a fight. He just takes it and takes it and takes it. To me - this shows that He was no ordinary man. The intense feeling of "fight or flight" would surely have overwhelmed an ordinary man...
posted by HeyJules at
6:36 PM
3 Comments:
I agree about experiencing death but I really think James nailed it when he talked about the separation from the Father. In all of eternity to that point He had never been separated. His whole existence had been complete and total communion with the Father.
By
Pilot Mom, at 10:04 AM
Yeah, I think you're right. I have the hardest time remembering that He would find that harder than a physical torture and death.
By
HeyJules, at 12:27 PM
Me too, Jules. But if I think about it - if someone were to give me the choice of physical suffering versus being separated from my children, I just know I'd think the separation far worse. How much worse for a perfect relationship like the one between the Father and His Son.
By
Andrea, at 6:28 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home