1 John 4:9
Good News Translation
9 And God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the
world, so that we might have life through him.
After many years, last night I again read the chapter in The
Desire of Ages entitled “Gethsemane”. In eloquent and deeply emotional
prose, Ellen White describes how Christ wrestled with God. He knew that He had
come to earth for exactly one purpose—to save the world and its inhabitants from
sin. I have seen many definitions of sin: some glorify it, some condemn it,
some try to lay out boundaries for it. But in the end, sin is only one thing—rebellion
against God. Sin declares puny man’s attempt to deny his Creator and become independent
from the only Source of Life.
In the Garden of Gethsemane Christ’s divine nature headed
steadfastly forward to the only possible act of redemption for rebellious man.
Christ’s human nature, however, sensed the presence of every sin in the world.
It felt the eternal separation from God, the terror and despair of inevitable
annihilation, the horror of the wrath of God. It buckled and crumbled under
this huge weight. His human nature pled with God to find another way of
salvation. “If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me!” a cry wrenched from
His very heart. Then in total submission to the divine within Him, He gave way
to divinity: “Never the less, not My will but Thine be done!” Three times he
sought reprieve but then acquiesced to His great love for sinners.
To His human view, (that was all that He could see at this
point in the struggle), all mankind had turned their backs on Him. Even His
chosen disciples had fallen asleep when He asked them to pray for Him. His
chosen race, His favored people were bent on His destruction. Why? He had
taught them, healed them, encouraged them, blessed their children, even fed
them and raised their dead. He had expressed His love to them in every action.
Was this why they turned away?
Of course not! When sin comes in touch with purity,
divinity, perfection, it has but one response—rebellion. This rebellion was the
only thing Christ sensed. Fortunately for us, His vast, unending love drove Him
on to yield to the divine will and rescue His creatures in spite of their absolute
rejection of Him.
When it became completely obvious that Christ was going
through literal hell for us, the mightiest angel in Heaven materialized at His
side, driving away all the demons that were clustered around Him and crushing out
His very life. The angel strengthened Him for this, the greatest battle of the
universe.
Thank You, Jesus, for fighting the battle for me, the
battle that I had no hope of winning without You. I love You.
[1] https://www.deseret.com/2019/6/12/20675446/taylor-halverson-why-did-jesus-suffer-in-an-olive-garden-called-gethsemane#olive-trees-in-the-gethsemane-garden-at-the-foot-of-the-mount-of-olives-in-jerusalem
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