Our Gethsemane

What happened in the Garden of Gethsemane between Jesus and Father God? Ultimately after several hours of torturous and agonizing prayer, His will and the Father's converged. This should be for us a time to pause and consider. But we, in the 21st century have become so familiar with His story, that we move quickly to the next plot. At its core Gethsemane depicts the story of an unanswered prayer. Jesus' cup of suffering was NOT removed. Jesus told his disciples "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Author Philip Yancey asks an unanswerable question: "Is it possible that for the first time ever Jesus did not want to be alone with the Father?" Other times Jesus had sought to be alone in prayer. How about our own Gethsemane experiences? Of course none of us have been born to die for the sins of ALL of humanity. But, God's call for us to follow Him to the unknown may bring us to places of doubt and fear. I believe that Jesus shows us in His garden experience that agonizing prayer is allowed. In fact as I consider Jesus' bold move forward to Jerusalem and the trial and crucifixion, I feel it was that time of releasing His will to the Father's that allowed Him to say to Peter "...shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" and later to Pilate "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above..." There are times to consider the cost. There are times to say, "God I don't want this." Agonize...wait...listen...ask again...further agony. Then, there is the time to think: Will God ask something of me but not give me the grace to accomplish? "Not my will be done, but Thine," Jesus concluded in those agonizing hours in the Garden. Our gardens are holy ground. Find yours. In 2020, many are having Gethsemane conversations with God.