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Upon arriving in Israel, there were several different Biblically significant places that I wanted to visit including the Mount of Olives, Bethlehem and Nazareth. It was the Garden of Gethsemane, however, that had the greatest impact on me. The Garden of Gethsemane represents the resilience of Jesus in the midst of the greatest adversity known to man. It is where He, Himself prepared to put the weight of humanity's sin on His shoulders.
The Garden today is a reminder of the standard that Jesus set with His blood, sweat and tears. In the Church of All Nations right beside the garden, you can see the rock where many believe Jesus went alone to pray. This is where the blood began to drip from His face because of the immense pressure surrounding what He was destined to do.
"44 And being in an agony [of mind], He prayed [all the] more earnestly and intently, and His sweat became like great clots of blood dropping down upon the ground." - Luke 22:44 AMPC
What I've realized after talking to multiple tour guides is that the rock and the garden are illustrations of where Jesus faced the most pain and agony. Contrary to popular belief, however, I believe the rock and garden were meant to be demonstrations of what it means to pick up your cross. Through the blood dripping and tears of Jesus, we truly see what it means to completely deny yourself to conform your life to God's will.
"42 Saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done." - Luke 22:42 AMPC
"17 And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory." -Romans 8:17 AMPC
Jesus, being perfect and without sin, laid aside His desires and took on sin in order to accomplish the will of His Father. How much more should we, being unworthy servants, full of sin, be willing to also lay our desires aside?
"21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]." - 2 Corinthians 5:21 AMPC
Much similar to a woman in labor, we see that there is true life available for all of us through the suffering and pain of Jesus.
"21 A woman, when she gives birth to a child, has grief (anguish, agony) because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers her pain (trouble, anguish) because she is so glad that a man (a child, a human being) has been born into the world. 22 So for the present you are also in sorrow (in distress and depressed); but I will see you again and [then] your hearts will rejoice, and no one can take from you your joy (gladness, delight)." - John 16:21-22 AMPC
In my time here, I had the opportunity to talk with someone who had been a tour guide in Jerusalem for 20+ years. I asked him what role living in Jerusalem played in the deepening of his faith. Surpisingly, he responded, "Not much."
Very confused, I wondered to myself, "What would be the point of telling Jesus's story without picking up your own cross and becoming a part of it?"
We have tricked ourselves into believing that simply because we care about the story of Jesus, it is enough to grant us access into Heaven for eternity with Him.
"39 You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me! 40 And still you are not willing [but refuse] to come to Me, so that you might have life." - John 5:39-40 AMPC
The sad reality is, without the blood and sweat of Jesus that dripped down on the rock, the rock would have no significance to us. It is not the rock that Jesus knelt on that should be worshipped, but the example of obedience and dedication which Jesus displayed on that rock that should be imitated. In order for us to truly worship Jesus, we must lay down our lives as well.
"12 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship." - Romans 12:1AMPC
The great men and women of faith that dwelt in Israel is what gave birth to this land being called the Holy Land. It was not the land itself but the men and women of faith that walked the land who had the reverential fear of God that made this land holy. Without us walking by faith and picking up our cross, we will see that a land that was once Holy has now just become a land.
38 [Men] of whom the world was not worthy—roaming over the desolate places and the mountains, and [living] in caves and caverns and holes of the earth. 39 And all of these, though they won divine approval by [means of] their faith, did not receive the fulfilment of what was promised, 40 Because God had us in mind and had something better and greater in view for us, so that they [these heroes and heroines of faith] should not come to perfection apart from us [before we could join them]. - Hebrews 11:38-40 AMPC
No matter how many places we go, no matter how many times we cry, our worship won't be acceptable to God until we pick up our cross and follow His Son, walking the same path and accepting the trials, sufferings and pain that comes with it.
"24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also]. 25 For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting]" - Matthew 16:24-25 AMPC
A rock without the blood, sweat and tears of Jesus would never be remembered and unless we lay down our lives as well, we shouldn't expect our names to be remembered in the Book of Life.
"10 They cried in a loud voice, O [Sovereign] Lord, holy and true, how long now before You will sit in judgment and avenge our blood upon those who dwell on the earth? 11 Then they were each given a long and flowing and festive white robe and told to rest and wait patiently a little while longer, until the number should be complete of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed as they themselves had been. 12 When He [the Lamb] broke open the sixth seal, I looked, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun grew black as sackcloth of hair, [the full disc of] the moon became like blood." - Revelation 6:10-12 AMPC
Question of the Day: Has your love and fascination of Jesus inspired you to pick up your own cross and follow him?