He went a Little Beyond them...
2004 : Week 18 | Website Version
Several weeks ago we looked at this passage to see that the Christian life does not guarantee a painless existence. Today, this passage will reveal that no matter how much we are loved, no matter how many friends we have and no matter how much our family would like to help us, there are some trials we must face alone. With the distractions of the world gone, we seek the highest Counsel possible; God gives us guidance and strength for our trials.
Jesus takes all of His disciples, except for Judas, to the Garden of Gethsemane. With the crucifixion at hand, He wanted friends close by. Similarly, we want those we care about close to us, when we go through our trials. We seek counsel of wise Christians, and ask for the prayer and input of the church and our friends. We want the comfort of others, and we find ourselves seeking the help of many.
The process of seeking comfort and answers does not end there. We see in Mark 14:33 that Jesus, ‘took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled.’ Jesus asked all of the disciples to accompany Him to Gethsemane, but only a select few were invited to share this deeper intimacy.
Again, we see this is true in our lives; we seek the help of the many, but only a few trusted companions are brought into a deeper circle of intimacy: spouses, family and friends. The Lord has put them in our lives to bless us. With those we are closest to, we are able to share more of our trials. Jesus says to Peter, James and John, in verse 34, ‘My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death.’
At times though, there is one more step we must take. When we take this step, we proceed to a level of intimacy that exceeds any other. When we take this step, and seek this Counsel, we are known by the One who made us; there is nothing to hide, and we are transparent.
This is the solitude before God. This is a precious place to be. Though it often comes at times of turmoil in our lives, it is utterly and completely priceless and to be valued no matter what the cost. Here, as we weep and pray for answers from God, we are refined, and have His peace wash over us. Here, we learn obedience to God. Jesus Christ models this for us, when He leaves His friends to commune with the Father:
| 35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. 36 And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." | |
| Mark 14:35-36 (NASB) | |
When we suffer afflictions, we ask our friends to pray with us and give us counsel. However, in the end, we must go beyond them and make decisions based on what God has asked us to do. The disciples did not want Jesus to suffer and die in the cross, but their input was not the final authority on the matter. The final authority was God the Father.
The solitude before God must not be feared. In fact, it must be embraced. What better place to find comfort? What better place to find answers? What better place to find strength and guidance? When we are tested and tried, we will seek the counsel of many; good Christian counsel is a blessing to us. However, as great a treasure as our friends may be, there is even greater treasure in being in prayer with God. The Holy Spirit prepares us for whatever we must face and determines our path and course of action, so we learn obedience and are further refined in the image of our Savior Jesus Christ.
May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and always…
**Words of Jesus Christ appear in red.
