Matthew 26:36-46

As we celebrate Christ, His death and resurrection, one of the most painful parts of the story is the Garden of Gethsemane. For it was there when the weight of all our Savior was about to endure overcame Jesus. Such was His anguish, that His soul was overwhelmed to the point of death. And falling upon His face, three times Jesus prayed that if possible, God would remove the cup from which He was to drink. 

Located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, (which literally means “oil press”) consisted of a small grove of olive trees. A fitting place since it was there that Jesus was spiritually pressed. You know it’s often said that our true nature is revealed during times of pressing. And how we face trials and suffering shows the depth of our relationship with God. At any time Jesus could have walked away. He could have returned to His glorious throne in heaven and never once suffered for our sins. But instead He choose God’s will over His own, and obedience regardless of the consequences. And when God didn’t remove His cup of suffering, Jesus let nothing stand between Him and that cup.

There will be times when we will find ourselves face down in our own Garden of Gethsemane. When God permits suffering and we are pressed spiritually to the point of agony. It’s then when we need to follow the example of our Lord. First, in fervent prayer we are to cry out to our Abba, Father. Emptying before Him our hearts filled with fear and sorrow. And when His answer is for us to endure, we are to humbly submit before God saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” Drinking the cup of suffering is never easy. But we need to trust that God’s plans are always best, and used for both our benefit and His glory. Most of all remembering that His grace is everything we need to carry us through. (2 Cor. 12:9)

Nowhere was Jesus’ humanity on greater display that in that garden. And because, to the glory of the Father, He drank the cup filled with our sins, He now stands at the right hand of the Father, as our perfect High Priest. So today if you are feeling spiritually pressed, bring it the Lord. For He understands sorrow and pain. Hurt and suffering. Betrayal and anguish. And let Him guide you through your garden of agony. 

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Matthew 22:34-40

As we ease into the new month and the Easter celebration, I’m so excited to be celebrating Christ. For His is the greatest love story ever told. All Jesus did and endured was because of His great love for us. And when approached by a Pharisee who asked what was the greatest commandment of all, the Lord’s answer? Love. Love for God, and each other. 

Love is so vital, Jesus adds, upon this is the foundation of the Law and the Prophets. But loving as Jesus loves can only happen if our love for Him, is greater than our love for ourselves. And the proof of this is in the way we treat others. For as the apostle John points out, to say that we love God and yet not love others, makes us liars. (1 John 4:20) So hearts that put Christ first, no longer demonstrate a self centered, sinful love, but the completely selfless and sacrificial love of Jesus.

That kind of love may seem impossible. But the closer we get to Christ, and the more we experience His unconditional love, an amazing thing happens. Our heart begins to change. Once hardened, selfish, and worldly, through the work of the Spirit, it becomes softened, open, and overflowing with gratitude. Gratitude for all that God has done for us. And from that thankfulness, springs forth the ability to see, and more importantly, love others as Jesus does.

Our goal as Christians, is to become transformed into the image of Christ. To mirror His unconditional love, loving one another just as He has loved us. (John 15:12) 1 John 4:9-11 powerfully reminds us, "God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love another."  This is the message echoed throughout the Bible and especially in the teachings of Jesus. And to me, it is the greatest love story of all!

So today I challenge you to examine your heart. Is it Jesus that fills your love tank? Is your love for Him so strong, that people know you are His by the love you have for others? (1 John 13:15)