And there appeared to Him (Jesus) an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:43-44).
Read Luke 22:43-44.
At some point in our lives, many of us will face a moment when the doctor says, "There's nothing more I can do." You get word that a loved one has died unexpectedly. As the realization sinks in so does hopelessness, shock, and the unrelenting pain of reality. Like Jesus, all we can do is come to our Father on our knees, and pour out our hearts.
The Father has laid a burden on His Son that no human can bear, and even Jesus' perfect human nature becomes faint under the burden. In tender love and compassion the Father sends an angel from heaven to His dear Son. Through that angel He provides the strength Jesus' body requires to fulfill its part in accomplishing God's gracious plan of salvation. Later we will see Jesus' physical strength give out again as He attempts to carry the cross and collapses under its weight. But for now, strengthened by the angel, Jesus can fully face the dread welling up inside Him.
In agony, He prays even more earnestly, deeply, emotionally than before, and the inner turmoil in His soul pours itself out through His body. Doctors tell us severe mental stress can cause small blood vessels in the skin to burst, mingling blood into the sweat. The physician Luke tells us, "His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." This was the intense struggle our Savior wrestled through, working to accept as His own His Father's will to suffer and die for our salvation.
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me never to shrink back from life's troubles, but to always bring them to You in prayer; as You brought Your needs to Your Father in heaven. Amen.
Today's Bible Readings: Leviticus 15-16 Mark 8:22-38
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