Day 44 : Mark 14:32–42
My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow
In the garden of Gethsemane we see Jesus in deep anguish, wrestling in prayer, facing the horror of the hours to come and expressing an honest desire to have the suffering taken from him.
He brings all the disciples to the garden, telling them to ‘sit here while I pray,’ (NIVUK) before leading Peter, James and John a little further to keep watch. He knew time was short, that Judas had left to betray him, and that his arrest was imminent. His response is to enter into soul-bearing, gut-wrenching prayer.
This is Jesus, openly emotional, deeply vulnerable and ‘troubled’ and ‘distressed.’ If ever we doubt that Jesus cannot understand our suffering and pain, Gethsemane should convince us otherwise. ‘Overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death’ (NIVUK) this is not a Saviour who simply faces the thought of crucifixion with resigned apathy or victorious swagger. This is God in flesh and bone making a real agonising choice to change the history of humanity through unimaginable physical, emotional and spiritual torment.
Jesus calls out to his heavenly Father in the intimate form a child would use ‘Abba.’ Even in the turmoil of this prayer, there is the trust and closeness of Father and Son. Jesus acknowledges ‘everything is possible for you’ (NIVUK) demonstrating his continued trust in his Father’s power, before asking that ‘this cup’ of suffering might be taken from him. Finally, Jesus refuses to choose his own way and in echoing the words of the Lord’s Prayer ‘thy will be done’ he concludes ‘not what I will, but what you will.’ (NIVUK)
When Jesus returns to the disciple’s he finds them asleep. In his turmoil and anguish Jesus is let down by drowsy disciples who fall asleep each time he goes to pray. Having tasked them with keeping watch, they fail to do even this and it is Jesus who alerts them to the arrival of Judas and those who had come to arrest him.