On this holy week of His resurrection, I encourage all brothers and sisters of the Way to consider just what He truly went through in the garden. The anointing oil of Christ was being pressed out that night. As He was crushed in His spirit by all afflictions known to man (Hebrews 4:15), he stressed to the point of sweating blood. This isn't hyperbole; it happened. He felt the fear and worry and anxiety of it all. He asked the Father to remove it from Him, if it was the Father's will to do so.
We often think of Christ in all His glory, clothed in white, untouchable, invincible and with all power. This is an accurate image, of course, but let us not forget what He went through before He paid the ultimate price for us all. He knew what was coming. He knew the pain He would endure and He felt every ounce of it. He was battered beyond recognition, scared, frightened, spit on, mocked and laughed at. In those moments He saw you and me, at our lowest, and said yes to the sacrifice. He said yes to the utter destruction of His fleshly form. He said yes to allowing us a way without having to pay for it ourselves.
There is simply no greater gift given in all of human history than this. That holiness itself became man, humbled to the point of crucifixion, in the midst of mockery, with a heart of love and forgiveness.
Praise king Jesus, now and forever. Amen.
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