“Then He said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.'” (Matthew 26:38)
The suffering of Jesus started before the physical pain of the passion event. Before the beatings and the torture of being nailed to the cross, He suffered. Jesus shares in the quietness of the garden that He is “overwhelmed with sorrow”. His heart was breaking. Those who He loved were still separated from Him. There was only one way to restore this relationship. This is so hard. It is too much. Why doesn’t He just walk away? His struggle has brought Him to the point of death before a hand has been laid on Him. However, He doesn’t ask His disciples to quickly help Him escape from the garden. He chooses to stay. He only asks that they stay with Him and pray. He knows what is at stake. It is His love for the world that brings the resolve to go to the end. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only son…” (John 3:16).
Today, as you meditate on what Jesus has done for you, remember that He loved you enough to stay in the garden. His love for you is so deep and so intense that the thought of being being separated from you was worse than what He was about to face. All that was human was wanting another way but all that was divine knew there was only one way. It was tearing Him up inside but you were worth it.