Thursday, April 1, 2010

Holy Thursday ~ The Agony In The Garden

And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. ~ Luke 22:44


(Hematohidrosis ~ the condition of sweating blood, in which capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands rupture, causing them to exude blood, occurring under extreme physical or emotional stress.)


I've always thought of The Agony In The Garden in terms of being just as heartbreaking (if not more so) as all the physical suffering that was still to come for Jesus. That awful dread of the unknown horrors that would soon arrive coupled with the knowledge of some of the burden that He was about to take on.

I read in a prayer book once that the great weight upon Jesus that night in the garden was the knowledge that He would soon bear the terrible trauma of taking on the guilt of sin for all mankind. Under the heavy burden of our sins, Jesus would for the first time ever, and for the one and only time ever, experience a separation from His Father.

That had to be an agony too great to bear. More ominous than any physical pain that was to come, there must have been for Him the enormous fear of that poverty of the soul.

Jesus had a unique and intimate relationship with God, a relationship that He was about to lose, a relationship that He was about to Sacrifice so that we could share this same unique and intimate relationship with God.





And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I Will, but as Thou Will." ~ Matthew 26:39




6 comments:

  1. Eileen, I had a special moment with God today as I took my walk, I am so thankful to know him and when I think how he has carried, my sins, your sins, all our sins I realized how heavy his burden must of been....he never complained and we who complain benefit everything from his love and sacrifice. God Bless you during this the most holiest of weeks, big hugs to Jayden and Mia.......:-) Hugs

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  2. The pain and agony our Lord was to bear was excruciating. But the pain of abandonment must have been even more painful. I have never experienced this. I can only imagine how terrible he must have felt knowing that there would be no one to share this awful encounter with evil. It makes his suffering and death even more precious. God bless you this Holy Day!! Cathy

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  3. Thank you for such a wonderful and precious post for this Holy day.

    Hugs to you and yours.

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  4. Well said Eileen. Love Di ♥

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  5. HI EILEEN-

    Your faith inspires - I so remember such attachment to the Easter week services - reliving HIS agony and resurrection - all so glorious. I honor it quite differently now, and have for 20 years- I sit in quiet reflection and promise again to live in a way that honors His death and life. "Thank you for a beautiful post and 'Happy Blessed Easter' to you and all of your.

    Love Gail
    peace.....

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  6. A beautiful post, dear Eileen...perfect reflections for this week...how very much we have to thank Him for! Thank you for so beautifully turning my thoughts to praise...Have a wonderful Easter weekend! Love, Janine XO

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