The Battle Of The Wills

Decisions are not always easy.
When my children were toddlers, the first sign of autonomy was choosing their clothes.
In the beginning, I would give them two choices.
Do you want to wear this or this?

After a while, they were able to pick the outfit all by themselves.
That stage is always enjoyable to watch.
Rain boots on sunny days or a Woody hat and sheriff badge to the grocery store.
Their own personality was coming through their choices.

Decisions became a bit more pressing as they got older.
There were the unshakable unbreakables I taught them to decide before hand.
I will not go to someone’s house if the parents are not home.
I will prayerfully live my life without a hint of impropriety.

When you are little, many decisions are made for you.
As you grow, you take on more responsibility.
You begin to take ownership of your own choices.
The successes and the mistakes are your own.

As parents, we can influence some decisions with our counsel and our wisdom.
Ultimately, the final choice belongs to the people themselves.
We wait.
We watch as the decision is made.

Jesus is also a Son.
Jesus is the Son of God.
His Father watched and waited.
Jesus had to wrestle with the biggest decision of His life.

They went to a place called Gethsemane and Jesus said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John along with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” He said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little further, He fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him. “Abba, Father,” He said, “everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.” Then he returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” He said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the body is weak. Once more He went away and prayed the same thing. When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to Him. Returning the third time, He said to them, “Are you sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayers. (Mark 14:32-42)

Gethsemane was a garden east of Jerusalem near the Mount of Olives.
It was a favorite retreat for Jesus and His disciples.
This night it would be a place of crushing like the name suggests.
For in Gethsemane there was a grove of olive trees.

Olives, when pressed, produce olive oil.
This was the place of Jesus’ crushing.
This was the place of decision.
This was the place where the battle would be won or lost.

Much like the oil that would come from the olives, Jesus’ sweat became drops of blood.
Hematidrosis is the medical term.
It is a rare condition that can sometimes manifest itself in times of great stress.
This was such a time for Jesus.

The battle was fought here in the garden.
A true battle of the wills between the Father and the Son.
A decision of this magnitude demands wrestling.
Jesus wrestled through the decision in prayer.

Jesus wrestled as the disciples slept.
Jesus prayed as the disciples failed to keep watch.
Jesus struggled with His will and the will of His Father.
The decision was made: not My will but Yours be done.

An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and the sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
(Luke 22:43,44)

There in the place of crushing, the first drops of blood were shed.
There in that quiet Garden place, the first Gospel preached was being fulfilled.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel. (Genesis 3:15)

The enemy was pressing in wanting to kill and destroy the Son of God.
The enemy wanted to thwart the plans of God the Father to save His people.
All the enemy could do was strike the heel of Jesus.
In this place of decision, the head of the enemy was crushed.

The battle was won there in the garden.

Jesus could have walked away.
Jesus could have refused to do the Father’s will.
Jesus could have saved Himself.
If He had thought only of self-preservation, we would still be in our sins.

Praise God for the crushing in the Garden.
Praise God for the drops of blood that trickled down.
Praise God that when pressed, Jesus thought not of Himself but rather He thought of us.
Praise God that the enemy was defeated right there in that grove of trees.

The original grove of trees in the garden is no longer there.
We learn from the historian Josephus that Titus cut them all down.
Titus cut the trees down to make crosses.
Crosses upon which hung Christians, the followers of Christ.

The first battle of the wills was lost in a garden.
The first Adam put his will above the will of God.
The second battle of the wills was won in a garden.
The second Adam put God’s will above His own.

Thank you, sweet Lord Jesus for laying down Your will there in the garden.
That place of crushing became our place of healing.

 

2 responses to “The Battle Of The Wills”

1. Wonderful post, Gina–really made me re-think the battle Jesus went through for our sake, and this battle may have been more painful than the physical pain He suffered on the cross.

   Reply

   • Sue,
     I always imagined the garden as a place of deep anguish for Jesus. It was there the decision was made: The Father’s will over the will of Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus for laying down Your will for our sake.
     Gina

     Reply