Matthew 26:36 "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder."
The Garden of Gethsemane was a small garden. The Lord met with His disciples there. This garden represents the hard and trying times. God allows us to be there from time to time. Sometimes we even feel like God is nowhere around. But He never leaves us or forsakes us. Hebrews 13:5 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
The word Gethsemane means oil press. Sometimes our burdens are so heavy that we feel like we're in the oil press. Just as the olive has to be pressed in the oil press in order to get that precious olive oil so does the Christian have to be pressed from time to time to get that preciousness of the Spirit to be evident in our lives.
When Jesus went to the garden He was very sorrowful. His heart was very heavy. Matthew 26:37 "And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy." He knew what awaited Him. This garden was not beautiful. It does not represent beauty and peacefulness. It is a garden of heaviness. I picture it as a barren place. It seems rough and rugged and filled with rocks and no trees.
The barren places in our lives are hard. We need to resolve to let God's will be done. God wants to be the One we seek in those times we don't know what to do. We need to continue to seek Him even when you feel you can't find Him.
When the Gethsemane experience comes your life will change. You will either get mad at God and walk away from Him or you will get closer to Him. Our response should not be to get angry at Him for your trial or valley. Ask Him to help you and give you the wisdom to learn what He is trying to teach you.
I'm about to say something that is very difficult to do...but we need to thank Him for the valley. He tells us to be thankful FOR ALL things and IN ALL things. I Thessalonians 5:18 "(In) every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always (for all) things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" There will be someone else that will go through what you're going through and you will be able to help them through it because you've been there. Just be still and know that He is God!!
12 comments:
That is a great article! Outstanding! Amen. Very encouraging and convicting. Thanks so much for sharing! We need to trust God and love Him even more when we are in the valley.
Bro. Nick....Oh yes!! We sure do!
oh Sis Julie this is so good I wish Kristen could read this she is really growing in the Lord she is all about prayer and pleasing the Lord now... she has changed. she tells me all the time thank you for being there I tell her it's the Lord not me I want him to get the credit not me.I know God is gonna see her through all this she is going through.
please keep praying for her and Matt.
Love you
Marsheila
No words just tears........
(read recent posts)
Thank you
Sis. Amy....Bless your heart!! Those are the best comments of all...where there are no words but that there were tears. I'm thankful they touched your heart. Love you and praying for you!!
Mrs Julie what a tremendous thought never thought about taking the Garden from that perspective. I know in my own life I have done both I have got mad at God, but most of the time I have leaned on him and trusted him. Thanks for sharing this post.
Bro Tim
Bro. Tim....I thought it was a good application too. It helped me!!
What a wonderful post, Julie! God never promised the Christian a life without trials, quite the opposite is true. However, He does promise us this: "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Such a wonderful promise! Even if it includes "going through the oil press." God bless you, Julie. You are in my prayers.
WOW! Great post and very timely.
Many times as we go through what God allows us to, we get to be too focused on ourselves and we seem to forget that when we come forth as gold, we will be fit for the Master's use for someone else...thank you for your reminder, sis...I needed it!
"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 1 Cor 1:3-4
Bro. Szekely....Thank you so much for commenting. I'm thankful that the post blessed your heart.
Sis. Julie, it is in the valley that much fruit is produced not much on the mountian top.We do as you said need to be thankfull for the valley's we have in life, otherwise we would never grow. May God bless you. connie from Texas
Sis. Connie....You are so right about fruit being produced in the valley. It is definitely difficult to be thankful FOR our valleys but Scripture tells us we should.
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