Throughout my journey with Christ, the Agony in the Garden has always resonated with me. Amidst heartbreak, family emergencies, and anxiety, the fact that Jesus understands immense suffering comforts me. The Agony, however, details not solely Jesus’ humanity, but also the power and necessity of prayer, and, most significantly, God’s compassionate response to His Son’s suffering.
This meditation invites you deeper into this mystery in hopes of better understanding our Father’s compassionate character and His immense Love towards us, His children.
In preparation for the meditation, please first read Luke 22:39-46.
Jesus understands our pain
“He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground”
—Luke 22:44 NABRE
Jesus had just finished eating the Passover meal with his beloved friends and disciples. His hour was soon approaching. He knew of the pain and suffering He was to endure– the most heinous death, public betrayal and humiliation, and abandonment from His beloved friends. There is no doubt that Jesus was overwhelmed, sad, or even anxious.
In that moment, Jesus displayed His humanity. While He was fully divine, He was also fully human. He did not share in our sinful nature or our broken relationship with God, but shared in our suffering, weeping, excitement, love, and fellowship.
REFLECT: Take a moment and call to mind times where you experienced tragedy, betrayal, or agony. What was it over? How did you feel?
Now, reflect upon God’s presence in those times. Were you aware of Him or did He seem silent? Reflecting upon His Agony in the Garden, does His presence in those times seem clearer?
God understands our tragedies, our heartbreaks, and our anxiety. He’s experienced broken friendships, betrayal, and physical torture. He endured the rejection of His own hometown (Matthew 14:28-30), the murder of a beloved cousin (Matthew 14:3-12), and suffered public humiliation and betrayal (Mark 15:6-20).
In the moments of our greatest suffering, He understands.
His compassion
And in those moments of great despair, He not only understands, but weeps with us (John 11:35). In the midst of my own greatest battles and anxiety, when all felt lost, I found my strength to persevere in God’s compassion.
“And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him”
—Luke 22:43 NABRE
In this moment of immense sorrow, Jesus cried out to His Father, asking for deliverance, hoping for some other way to save God’s people. Oftentimes, we meditate on Jesus’ suffering, but forget to consider the simultaneous suffering of God.
For over thirty years, a loving Father lived seperated from His only Son and ultimately had to allow Jesus’ painful death. How did God feel as He heard Jesus’ cry from the Garden? How did God endure witnessing His Son’s own death?
Yet, God didn’t answer Jesus’ prayer. Instead, God chose to save us– to continue with the only plan for our salvation. That is how much God loves us. Take a moment to reflect on that.
One of my favorite aspects of the Agony is how God responded to Jesus’ prayer. While He didn’t deliver Him from His impending crucifixion, He provided comfort and consolation to Jesus. God wasn’t disappointed in Jesus’ anguish or in His prayer to be delivered from suffering. Rather, God sent an angel from heaven to comfort Jesus in His moment of despair and sorrow.
We often hear the need to suffer as Christians. While this is true, it is important to remember that God isn’t disappointed in us when we struggle or cry out to Him for deliverance. God doesn’t expect perfection. Even Jesus struggled and asked for help. Remembering that we are God’s children, won’t He also console us?
REFLECT: How do you honestly see God? As a Loving Father? As a terrifying punisher? As a distant Friend? Does your view of God reflect the Truth? Take a step back and think of how your view of God– whether true or not– affects your relationship with Him?
For most of my relationship with God, I was focused on earning His love, following the rules precisely in order to escape any punishment or judgment. God wasn’t my Loving Father, Divine Counselor, or Compassionate Savior– He was my biggest fear and a rule-following tyrant. Honestly, I was scared of God. In times of utter chaos and sorrow, I didn’t go to Him for peace or refuge because I didn’t believe in His Love.
It’s important to take a step back and consider how you view God. Get to know His true character– loving, kind, compassionate, patient, empathetic, forgiving, and understanding. Then and only then, will you find peace, hope, and true happiness. He’s waiting for you with arms wide open, calling you home.
The power and necessity of Prayer
If there’s anything I’ve learned in my walk with Jesus, it’s that prayer is powerful and necessary. It invites you into a closer relationship with God, as a trustworthy and faithful friend.
Reflecting upon the Agony in the Garden, despite Jesus’ knowledge of the pain set before Him, He didn’t run away. Rather, He sought comfort through prayer.
He led His disciples to the Mount of Olives, where Jesus often went to seek quiet time in prayer. This time was no different and He urged His disciples to do the same.
“When he arrived at the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not undergo the test’”
—Luke 22:40 NABRE
Even in His agony, Jesus chose to first care for His disciples. He was aware of His beloved friends’ grief over his anxiety and impending suffering; they finally came to realize the inevitable pain Jesus must endure. Their grief consumed them, leaving them feeling hopeless and confused. Jesus knew this, and encouraged them to pray.
Why? Because He wanted them to be prepared for the next three days that were filled with sorrow, doubt, and loneliness. Through prayer, Jesus knew His disciples would be strengthened to resist the temptation to abandon Him, even while He was dead.
REFLECT: Jesus calls His disciples to pray in preparation for a time only He knew was coming. He also sought prayer in His time of agony and distress. How much more should we pray and seek to make prayer a daily practice?
How do you pray? In what way do you feel close to God when praying? Maybe in a secluded place? Maybe in silence or with music? Come to God as your heart calls you to- in all genuineness and truth.
“After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done”
—Luke 22:41-42 NABRE
Furthermore, it is important to reflect upon Jesus’ own prayer. He teaches us to address God as our Father, coming to Him in all humility, yet in all boldness, speaking from our heart. We must be genuine with God, but also approach Him in truth.
Jesus’ prayer is one of surrender. While asking God for deliverance, He trusted His Father’s Will wholeheartedly. We must do the same.
REFLECT: What would it look like for you to surrender to God? Is it easy for you to trust in His Will or is it scary to give up control? How can your trust in God be strengthened?
The Agony in the Garden is a story of Jesus’ love for each of us, as well as a study of His true humanity and character. In ending this reflection, I invite you to offer a prayer to God in hopes of better understanding His true character and role as our Father. Though challenging, I pray that you come to know His compassion and love for you, as I have.
Penn Epistle 