Gethsemane Is Coming to Your House

READ: Matthew 26:36-46 and Mark 14:32-41

You often hear me say that God speaks some of the most interesting things to us.  He speaks at times when we may not be ready to receive what He has to say.  Some months ago, I was on my knees at our prayer service and I heard the Lord say very clearly to me “Gethsemane is Coming to Your House”.  Definitely not words I feel like I wanted or needed to hear at this time in my life.  However, since I have heard these words, it has caused me to do a whole lot of reflection and meditation on the significance of the message and what it really means for me and my house.

Gethsemane means “an oil-press”, and is the name of a place at the foot of the Mount of Olives, beyond the torrent Kidron (See https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1068/kjv/tr/0-1/).  Oil press is a pretty intense process, as you consider the steps that must be done to bring to our tables and cupboards the different varieties of oils. 

When we look at the events leading up to the point of Gethsemane, Jesus was consistently speaking words to the disciples that were reflective of future things to come although much of it may have been far beyond their comprehension.  I think the same is true for us in that we cannot always see the bigger picture of what God is doing.  God’s mind and thinking is infinite while ours is finite and limited.

Gethsemane is a pivotal point leading up to the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  Gethsemane is troubling, agonizing, and dreadful, yet oh so glorious and victorious.  No one who really understands the significance of Gethsemane wants to be there and even Jesus asked for that cup of suffering to be passed from Him, if it were possible (Matthew 26:39).

So, what is the Lord really saying when He said to me “Gethsemane is Coming to Your House”?

It is a place of mental, emotional, social, financial, and spiritual pressing.  It feels like I’ve been there before.  However, it seems clear that the Lord through this process, has to try my character and heart to reveal to me who I am and to give insight on where I really need to be in Him.  The process has definitely opened my eyes to many things that I must pray more about and things I must improve in if I plan to make it to heaven.  It doesn’t matter that I am a faithful churchgoer, a pastor’s wife, and a minister, God is still sanctifying, purging, renewing, teaching and growing me up in Him.  This is something to be grateful for although the process is not pleasant. 

Do you feel the Lord trying you and if so in what ways can you identify?

How does it feel when the Lord shows you some of the rough places in your heart that you need to be perfected in?

Does it come as a shock to you?

One of the key things that we need to understand about Gethsemane is that Jesus chose to go to the garden of Gethsemane specifically to pray and that this was not an accidental stop in His ministerial journey.  This was ordained of God so it is safe to say that the garden of Gethsemane could not be avoided. 

Knowing that the disciples were there with Jesus in the garden gives insight to the fact that we who are endeavoring to walk with Lord will also be led directly into many trials of affliction not because we stumbled there but because the Lord led us there.  While the account of Gethsemane was mostly about Jesus Christ, we should not overlook that the disciples were there.  There is great significance in them being there.  You will note that Jesus said to the disciples to “sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder” (Matthew 26:36) and proceeded to take with Him Peter, James and John.  They were given instructions from Jesus that were key to their own spiritual growth and development. 

While the disciples were waiting what were they to be doing? 

How were they to be thinking? 

What were they to be expecting at this dark hour of the day? 

What do you think was happening to them in the moment?

It is impossible for them to not have been greatly impacted by this place of press as they were right in the midst of spiritual warfare, conflict, and a divine exchange between heaven and earth even though they may not have fully realized what was taking place.  There had to have been something drastically different about this moment in time in the garden of Gethsemane that was unlike any other times they had with Jesus.  There was much more at stake than when they began walking with Jesus in the first or second year of His earthly ministry.

I believe what we can also glean from Jesus’ reference and instruction to “watch”, “sit” and “pray” is that some things, or really most things in this life requires prayer, I mean serious prayer for a person to have true victory.  We cannot obtain victory by observation alone nor by osmosis and just being around the right kind of people.  Jesus obtained the victory not solely because He stepped into the garden but because there in Gethsemane, we see Jesus Himself engaging in intense travail in prayer.  Such travailing in prayer was for our benefit and needful today.

So, as I reflect more on “Gethsemane is Coming to Your House” and I consider what is upon me at this time, I feel this strong pull and need to regroup, retreat, renew, and prepare myself to more willingly embrace that which the Lord has spoken.  I feel the need to improve and grow in God and to better understand what I am to be doing and when.  God never speaks idle words and whenever He speaks everyone should take note and listen.  There is something that I have yet to learn, experience and conquer in my own garden of Gethsemane but even as I wait, I too must watch, pray, and be mindful of temptation. 

What is God saying to you in this point in your life?

Are you where you need to be in Him?

Never forget that when you find yourself led by God into the most agonizing, difficult and trying times of life God is with you.  Stay in Him.  Hold on to Him.  It’s not over yet, there is victory on the other side but to obtain this victory you and I have to be tried, tested, and proven of God.