Alone

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So, He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.” Matthew 26:36-46

I think every now and then we all feel a little alone. We are tempted to ask ourselves if there is anyone who really cares what we are going through?

I can’t help but be drawn right back to Jesus as He was praying in Gethsemane. He’s telling his disciples how “full of sorrow” He was in the above passage in Matthew. In Luke, the scripture says He was in anguish and agony. He was in such earnest prayer that an angel came to give Him strength. Can you imagine the human Jesus needing an angel to give him strength? The Father created the angels and now Jesus is lower than them.

The prayer was so powerful that drops of blood sweat were coming from His brow.  Jesus, the Savior of the World, was experiencing weakness, anguish, agony, and sorrow. He hadn’t even been betrayed yet. How alone Jesus must have felt when He had to tell the disciples 3 times not to fall asleep.

When you’re going through that thing that no one quite understands, remember The Savior of the World does. When you’re going through hurt, sadness, pain, or rejection or when you feel like you can trust no one, remember, you can trust Jesus. When you’re tempted to feel alone or you wonder if anyone else cares, remember the Savior of the World cares.

His agony goes way beyond Gethsemane. He was lonely, rejected, and humiliated. He was despised, bruised, beaten, and betrayed. Noone could ever understand what He was going through. We can only imagine.  He’s not only our Savior, but He’s also our all and all. He went through way worse than anything we could ever imagine and totally gets our pain. I’m reminded of the words to an old chorus…

“Noone understands like Jesus,

when the days seem dark and grim.

Noone is so near, so dear as Jesus,

Cast your every care on Him.”

Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.” Matthew 26:46