Echoes from Gethsemane

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27) Death; An unfortunate reality that awaits all men. Jesus’ sacrifice solved the eternal death problem; the physical appointment with death – caused by Adam, nonetheless, still remains sacrosanct. More intimidating also, is the mystery behind the timing, when this menace decides to pay his visit; as the hour of death, is unknown to most men. Some, however, who by reason of their misdeeds, have been placed on death row. These ones, are certain of when their ‘ends’ would be. Perhaps, the luxury of not knowing the scheduled time for death, affords many the ease and comfort to embrace this life, without care and worry. To those on death row, this is not the case. The sheer horror of knowing one’s ‘death date’, petrifies. It also transfixes and stupefies – mildly put. The Gethsemane episode of the Christ, could best be explained by the death row experience. Because of His omniscient nature, the Son of God knew what was soon to happen. He fully understood the cruelty and savagery, that He was about to face. Knowing His death date, was bad enough. Worse, were the coming betrayals, isolation and immense torture. His foreknowledge of these events, only offered Him more misery. Grief, pain and unbearable agony. In some thirty-three years the Christ had spent on Earth, He was never this vulnerable. The Son of God, was really at His wits end! That day – and in that place, the whole plan for redemption could have been aborted. An action, that would have doomed our fates forever. But what sustained the Son of God on His quest? What kept Him resolute, even as His odyssey hung by a thread? Let’s take a walk through that garden, at Gethsemane. Listen to the echoes… ‘even as we appreciate our Lord’s perseverance, patience and love, in His venture to save our souls. Lest we forget!