Ongoing Thoughts On Mark 14:32-50

"...The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38).

I haven't made regular time for Bible study in the last week or so, becoming distracted by recreation, work, sleep, meals, television, and my own negligence. Thankfully, I've kept up in the Word, by the power of He who strengthens the weak and makes them strong, who was Gideon's confidance and is mine as well. While working for the past couple nights I have thought about the scene in Gethsemane whence Christ's body felt burdened, stressed, weary, where His disciples too became tired, but from sleepiness instead. The showdown between Creator and creation, the taming of Nature came into play here; the Lord dwealt in a flesh suit, as a man, and like the rest of of mankind, the body becomes tired, sleepy, stressed as Jesus felt before the time came for Him to be delivered unto the officials for His trial and execution. He told His disciples, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch" (v. 34). The three disciples who He brought with Him into the garden, Peter, James, and John are the parallel to the point of I have read.

Jesus, giving all of His life up to the Father, gave up His rights; the other three set on watch did not have an awareness of the importance in this situation, for all they could feel and know at the time was that the Master brought them out to this garden to pray past bedtime. But the hour was close for the Son of Man to be betrayed. The foreshadowing of the cross and all of man's sins must have been a very great sight in our Savior's mind, so great that He, God of creation, became very sad! But the beautiful thing about this situation in Gethsemane is that Christ conquered and man failed, demonstrating that man is not invinsible, but mortal and in need of the salvation which Christ established the next day.

With a few index cards of Scripture written on them, while on break I take one out of my pocket or lunch box and take a moment to think about that particular passage. Mark 14:38 is another verse which sticks to my ribs, sticks to my mind; it is another reminder from God that I am weak and He is strong.