MARK 14:34

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

TO PONDER

There are two things I find deeply comforting in these words of Jesus to his disciples on the night he was handed over to be crucified.

Firstly, Jesus understands suffering and sorrow. It is often helpful to me when I find myself upset or distressed about something to remember that Jesus understands this kind of experience. Now granted, I am not usually staring down the circumstances of my own death as he was when we get this scripture, but I have always found it good to remember that even Jesus found himself overwhelmed with sorrow at times.

Secondly, Jesus goes to two places for help. He does take himself off to pray and receive comfort from the Father, but he also asks his friends to keep watch or vigil with him in his grief. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, completely human and also completely divine, sought comfort from humanity. Sometimes when we are feeling grief, we can tend to isolate ourselves and wallow in our grief. That is certainly one of my strategies. Yet here in the face of His own overwhelming sorrow, he turns to his friends for support. I mean if it was good enough for Jesus, then it ought to be good enough for me. And although Jesus' disciples did not manage to stay awake and do what he asked, I still believe that their presence with him made a difference.

Sometimes when we are helping others through grief we can feel like we are messing it up horribly. Just remember, sometimes your presence is all that is necessary.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of friends and community, from which we can receive comfort and support in times of grief and despair. Remind us always that we have a God who understands our grief and sorrow intimately and who will always be with us, even in the deepest valleys. Amen

Today's devotion by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle