Thoughts for another day

May 28, 2012

Today's verse: Lk. 22:44. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Jesus, as a man, was tested every way a man is and in His prayer above, we see His utter helplessness in the face of the supreme test He had to face even as He entered the  threshold of the 'hour' when He was to depart from the world.   The letter to the Hebrews has 'During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to The One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission.' 

Note, that Jesus, who was God, the most powerful and eternal, had to submit Himself in humility to His Father who had prepared for Him the most dreadful trial one could think of!  Jesus knew the trial was tough and therefore cried before His Father.  So intense was His crying and prayer, that sweat, like drops of blood, fell from His brow.  My friend there was no shrinkage in the misery He went through for us, so that we could be where He is, in the Kingdom of His Father and our Father. 

On earth we may have trials so fierce that make our very hair stand on edge, not that God doesn't give us Grace to bear it, but that we fail to either recognize His Grace or hold on to It; in our distress we too must cry out to Him who has the power to set us free from every trial by His Own authority.  The Word of Ps 130, 'Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Yahweh.  Lord, hear my voice, let Thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications'; will enhance our ability to be servile before Him and gain favor in His sight so that no matter what it is that ails us, we shall be drawn out of it, and be victorious, simply because He, the Lamb of God, lives and He reigns at the right hand of God, interceding for us before His Father so that mercy shall come upon us in our time of need.