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From Heaven With Love
could only know that His disciples appreciated this, He would be
strengthened.
But He “findeth them asleep.” Had He found them seeking refuge
in God, that satanic agencies might not prevail over them, He would
have been comforted. But they had not heeded the warning, “Watch
and pray.” They had not intended to forsake their Lord, but they
seemed paralyzed by a stupor which they might have shaken off if
they had continued pleading with God. When the Saviour was most
in need of their prayers, they were asleep.
The disciples awakened at the voice of Jesus, but they hardly
knew Him, His face was so changed by anguish. Addressing Peter,
Jesus said, “Simon, sleepest thou? couldest thou not watch one
hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit
truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus feared they would not be
able to endure the test of His betrayal and death.
Again the Son of God was seized with superhuman agony, and
fainting and exhausted, He staggered back to the place of His former
struggle. His suffering was even greater than before. “His sweat
was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
The cypress and palm trees were the silent witnesses of His anguish.
From their leafy branches dropped heavy dew on His stricken form,
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as if nature wept over its Author wrestling alone with the powers of
darkness.
A short time before, Jesus had stood like a mighty cedar, with-
standing the storm of opposition that spent its fury on Him. Now He
was like a reed beaten and bent by the angry storm. As one already
glorified, He had claimed oneness with God. Now His voice was
heard on the still evening air, full of human anguish, “O My Father,
if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will
be done.”
Again Jesus felt a longing for some words from His disciples
which would break the spell of darkness that well-nigh overpowered
Him. But their eyes were heavy; “neither wist they what to answer
Him.” They saw His face marked with the bloody sweat of agony,
but His anguish of mind they could not understand. “His visage was
so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of
men.”
Isaiah 52:14
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