In the Garden

Luke 22:39-53

 

What is the most difficult experience you have ever faced? For me it was our still born. She was our first born, and at about eight months my wife, at her doctor’s orders, went into the hospital. After the delivery, my wife stayed and I returned to an empty house. Our little girl would never eat in her highchair, sleep in her crib or nurse in her nursery. It all seemed so pointless; so empty.

 

In the moments before his betrayal, Jesus was with his closest disciples, which included Peter, James and John. They were stricken with sorrow, probably even depressed, as they fell asleep. In a parallel passage, Mark tells us that Jesus cried out, “Abba, Father”, as his sweat was like drops of blood. In desperation, he cried out for God to take the cup of wrath from him, but ultimately to do His will.

 

Then, with a crowd following him, Judas arrived to betray Jesus. This time, Peter decided to stay awake, and cut the ear off from a servant. But that wasn’t how Jesus would deal with this situation. Instead, he said something that I find very unsettling.

 

“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” And then to the religious

leaders, “But this is your hour – when darkness reigns”.

 

We all like to think of ourselves as “good people”. But what if we aren’t? What if in our deepest places we are terrible, mean people? You would never do anything like betray Jesus would you? Darkness doesn’t reign in your life. Or does it? “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. It was because of your sin and mine that Jesus went to the garden, triggering the events that lead to the cross.

 

In a way, we’re all just like Judas! Every time we disobey the Lord, aren’t we driving a nail into his wrists or feet? Aren’t we betraying him with a kiss on his cheek? We are responsible for Jesus’ death because that was the only way that God could bring us into a relationship with Him.

 

If there had been anything that I could have done to save my little girl, I would have done it; but there wasn’t. It must have pained God deeply to not do something for His one and only son Jesus when he cried out to Him in the garden.

 

God, our Heavenly Father, loves us enough to have let his one and only Son die for us; for the darkness within us; so that we might live in the light of his Son. He listened to Jesus’ anguished cries; and did nothing. Why? Because He loves us.

 

Thank you Abba, Father.

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