THE ONE, BOTH GOD AND MAN

I ask that you bear with me one more day before I get back to the special people in the Bible.  Today is the anniversary of the day after Christ was resurrected from the tomb in the Garden of Gethsemane, and I want to talk about one more thing concerning our Lord. The words I'm sharing are not my own, but are taken from the April 5 devotional in our precious book, MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST, by Oswald Chambers, a man  who loved God and started a seminary for pastors many years ago. He is no longer living, but his words are still alive.


It is titled, "HIS AGONY AND OUR ACCESS" and it is dated April 5.  It refers to Matt. 26:35,38,
"Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, 'Stay here and watch with Me.'"  Of course, the disciples did not watch with Him; in fact they fell asleep. And Jesus agonized alone.  Chambers goes on:


"We can never fully comprehend Christ's agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, but at least we don't have to misunderstand it.  It is the agony of God and man in one Person, coming face to face with sin.  We cannot learn about Gethsemane through personal experience.  Gethsemane and Calvary (the Cross) represent something totally unique--they are the gateway into life for us.


It was not death on the cross that Jesus agonized over.  In fact, He stated very emphatically that He came with the purpose of dying.  His concern here was that He might not get through this struggle as the Son of Man.  He was confident of getting through it as the Son of God--Satan could not touch Him there.  But Satan's assault was that our Lord would come through this struggle for us on His own solely as the Son of God and the Son of Man would not be credited.. 


No, the Agony in Gethsemane was the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Savior of the world.  The veil is pulled back here to reveal all that it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God.  His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation.  The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man as well as the Son of God.  It was not only a sign that our Lord had triumphed but that he had triumphed to save the human race.  Because of what The Son of Man/God went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God."


Personally, I feel closer to Christ when I realize how he suffered as the Son of Man. And, perhaps, he equally suffered as the Son of God, not for his own sake, but for ours, afraid he might not be able to endure what he must endure as a man which must hang on a cross.


This reminds me of us, you and me.  We are all human, but we are also part God, thanks be to the Holy Spirit of Christ. I accept Christ; Christ comes to me as His Spirit. And how much of Christ I become depends on how much of Him is given me, which depends on how often I seek Him.  Which reminds me..........Thanks God, for your work on the cross which provides for me a place in your eternal home.


Hope you will be there with me!
Jo INMN