In my last post, I shared about Jesus in the garden right before His crucifixion. I talked about how Jesus asked Peter, John, and James to enter into his deepest hurt with Him. I want to take another look at that very same verse again, and dig a little deeper because I know there is a deeper calling for us, and a powerful confession of love to us, in this passage.
“And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.’”
Matthew 26:37
As I read that scripture, I hear the Lord whisper, “Mindy, come and sit with me in the garden.”
Uhmmmmm wow!
This blows my mind. Here is why.
Jesus is asking US to come and sit in His deepest hurts with Him. God is asking us to experience the hurt that He feels while He is feeling it. He wants to break our hearts for what breaks His. That sounds horribly mean. The reality though is when we are hurt, or angry, or even just inconvenienced, we are motivated. Motivated to act, bring change, sacrifice, or care about something more than ourselves. I don’t know about you but it takes a lot to move me. Something really has to bother me for me to act.
For instance, here is my driver’s side window. It’s been broken for 3 1/2 months. I covered it with packing tape. It’s sufficient for getting me from one place to another.
It bothers other people a lot. Not really me though. I grew up in the middle of a chaotic large family that threw stuff a lot. It takes a lot more to get my attention than a broken window. Because of that, I haven’t done anything to fix it. I probably won’t until warm weather comes, and I want to drive with the windows down.
The same goes for the broken world we live in. It takes a lot for me to be motivated to bring restoration. We are called to bring restoration here and now to this broken world. Only when God moves my heart to a place where I hurt about how torn apart this world is, do I actually even care. Only when God brings me to a place to sit with Him in deep hurt about human trafficking, do I actually act. Only when God brings me to a place where I grieve the brokenness of the Church with Him, do I strive to love Her well. Do you see the pattern? Only when God… Do I…
He does this out of love for us. I know that it seems almost manipulative. He is trying to force us to do something. Anything. He only moves my heart to get His way. That’s not the truth though.
Later on in this passage, Jesus says to Peter, James, and John, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
I think He is saying, “Guys! Are you still asleep? You are missing out on something great. Something amazing. A once in a lifetime opportunity to sit with me, know me, and change the world. Not just the world but eternity. It is almost time. WAKE UP. Please don’t miss what I have for you!”
He loves us so much that He doesn’t want us to miss out on something that will change someone’s eternity. Something that will change our eternity. It is so hard for me to believe that God, the creator of the universe, the maker of all things, loves me enough to want to be so intimate with me that He brings me into His deepest hurt. But He does. He. Really. Does. I know the people that I let into that intimate place with me, are people I love, people I trust, and people who will follow me into the dark. (Yes, I tried to sneak in a death cab reference.)
I believe that this is true about God. If He is calling you to sit with Him in hurt, He is also saying, “I trust you, I want you, follow me. Oh and, by the way, I FREAKING LOVE YOU.” So ask Him to take you to that intimate place. Ask Him to prepare you for the hurt and the obstacles on the road ahead. Ask Him to help you celebrate the good and the bad. Most importantly, just say “I’m in, Jesus. I’m here in the garden with you. I’m awake and sitting close. Have your way.”
Why do we willingly enter into the garden with Jesus? Because when we allow our hearts to be moved by God, we find the things we were truly made to do and the wars we were purposed to fight. We stop living mediocre lives, and we stop fighting those who are meant to be our allies. Sitting in the garden with Jesus is the doorway to the abundant lives we’ve dreamed of and the first step to living out our purpose.
What about you? What has God broken your heart for? Do you believe that He loves you enough to sit with you in hurt? Why or Why not?
In Reckless Pursuit,
Mindy
Check out my last post in this series here!
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