Hindsight

As Jesus prepared Himself for the cross he spent His last hour of freedom in the Grove of Gethsemane praying while the disciples slept.  Luke 22:44 says that He prayed in agony.  The Greek word is agonia from which we get our English word agony.  It comes from the root word for, “an assembly.”  That seems odd doesn’t it!  We think of agony as an emotional state.  This word was used for an assembly that was gathering to watch contests or gladiatorial games.  Being an observer or participant in gladiatorial games would cause intense emotion because often at least one participant would lose their life in the game.  No one really knows how the word transformed from assembly to intense emotional strain and anguish, we just know it changed emphasis. 

We find Jesus in Gethsemane in agonia.  We know that Gethsemane was an olive press that extracted oil from olives.  It wasn’t a location but a tool.  Jesus is under such intense pressure and agonia that He is sweating drop of blood.  The weight of the physical pain of the cross and the weight of the spiritual pain of separation from His Father caused agonia.

To help Himself deal with the pressure He prayed the same prayer three times.  “Let this cup pass yet not My will but Thine be done.”  God answered His prayer by allowing Judas and the Roman cohort to find Him, place Him on trial and crucify Him!  Yet Jesus never uttered a word of protest, He accepted God’s call and will for His life.

When under extreme pressure I wonder how many times we pray without getting to a point of acceptance for God’s will for our lives!  I’m certainly not saying that all pain is God’s plan but some pain is and it would serve us well to live out the example of Jesus.  To accept the difficulty and be God’s servant through a difficult time.  Maybe we’ll be an example to someone else.