by Alistair Begg
"Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had
offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who
was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear."
- Hebrews 5:7
How amazing is this reverence in light of the infernal suggestion that He was
utterly forsaken. There may be sterner trials than this, but surely it is one of
the worst to be utterly forsaken.
"See," said Satan, "you have a friend nowhere! Your Father has closed the door
of His compassion against you. Not an angel in His courts will stretch out his
hand to help you. All heaven is alienated from You; You are left alone. The
companions from whom You have taken sweet counsel, what are they worth? Son of
Mary, see there Your brother James, see there Your loved disciple John, and Your
bold apostle Peter, how the cowards sleep when You are in Your sufferings!
Look! You have no friend left in heaven or earth. All hell is against You. I
have stirred up my infernal den. I have sent my letters throughout all regions
summoning every prince of darkness to set upon You this night, and we will spare
no arrows--we will use all our infernal might to overwhelm You; and what will
You do, You solitary one?"
In the face of his cruel trial, an angel appears to strengthen Him. "He was
heard because of His reverence." He was no more alone, but heaven was with Him.
Perhaps this is the reason why He came three times to His disciples. Backwards and forwards thrice He ran,
He would see for Himself whether it were really true that all men had forsaken
Him. He found them all asleep; but perhaps He gained some faint comfort from the
thought that they were sleeping not from treachery, but from sorrow; the spirit
indeed was willing, but the flesh was weak. In that dark valley He was heard
because of His reverence. Jesus was heard in His deepest trial; my soul, you
shall be heard also.
As if He sought some help from man.
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Source: Truth For Life Daily Devotional by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Crossway Books
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