The Prayer of the Grief-Stricken - Mark 14:32-36

"Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, 'Sit here while I pray.' He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and horrified. Then He said to them, 'My soul is swallowed up in sorrow—to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.' Then He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, 'Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.'"

If the Transfiguration revealed Jesus' divine nature, then Gethsemane revealed His humanity.

A lot of theological interpretations and explanations have been offered for the anguish expressed by Jesus at Gethsemane. Certainly He was about to bear the sins of all humanity--past, present, and future--and it was a horrific proposition!

But I think His grief was simply that--the sorrow you feel when the reality that you live in this world becomes displaced through irreparable loss.

The friendships He had established,
     the dependence of His friends on His leadership,
          the fellowship He shared with His disciples--
this was all about to end...quickly and tragically...and Jesus knew it and was grieving for it.

While I can never know the depth of His sorrow, as one who is acquainted with grief, I do recognize the prayer He  prayed. In fact, I know by what He prayed that He was grieving. You see, if you have ever grieved deeply, you have prayed that prayer.

It is the prayer of the grief-stricken, of the bereaved, of one who is in mourning!

It is the prayer of one asking God to restore what has been lost; to replace what is irreplaceable. It is the prayer of one asking God to reset your life to what it was before your loss!

"Heavenly Father, you can do what is impossible. So bring them back to me! Make my life as it was! Yet, I know that is not the way of this world you have created. Please help me accept this new reality, this new normal as your will. And strengthen me to do what you want me to do with the rest of my life in this world. Amen."