As I enter the garden this night, it appears peaceful and still. But within, a figure kneels on the ground in a desperate posture, shaking, groaning, fists clenched tightly… In the faint moonlight, I see His lips are moving. Straining to listen, I hear Him say, “If it be Thy will, let this cup pass from me… nevertheless not my will, but Thine be done.”

It’s a gutteral cry, from the depths of an anguished soul… yet beautifully surrendered. His friends lie sleeping nearby, seemingly unconcerned by His agony… there He kneels alone, on the brink of torture and death, but trusting His Father’s will in it all.

Tomorrow is Good Friday, 2023. About 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ was the One described in the scene above, praying in Gethsemane as His disciples slept.

The solitude was shattered when Judas reappeared with an angry mob of Jewish leaders. The infamous betrayer. The rejection must have hurt Christ deeply… but not only that of Judas. The disciples who weren’t able to stay awake with Him in prayer… the Jewish leaders who should have been most excited about the Messiah being in their midst… and then, the whole human race as the crowd shouted, “Crucify Him!”

Why, when the truth was so obvious, could those in leadership not see it? Ordinary people heard and believed that Christ was the Promised One. But those who had studied the prophecies about Him the most would not. They had expected a king who would fulfill their wishes. Jesus came as a servant, yet convicted them of their sins. They could not accept that their interpretation of the scriptures had been wrong, so they would not accept Him. In their attempt to keep their image intact, they rejected the Truth.

And Jesus, Truth Himself, was silent on trial before them. He did not defend Himself or fight. He allowed them to push their false view of Him – a blasphemer of God, when in fact, He WAS God’s own Son – until they killed Him.

Why? He knew Who He was. Why did He give up so easily?

But looking back farther still…

Angels announced His birth and the shepherds testified of all they saw and heard.

A twelve year old boy astonished the scribes with His knowledge.

A Man was baptized, and a Voice was heard. “This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I Am well pleased.”

Sermons were preached. Miracles were done. People were healed. The dead were raised.

The invitation was clear. “Come unto Me and I will give You rest.“

He declared His Identity publicly. “I and my Father are One.” “No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”

He didn’t go to the grave without making a ripple. He thoroughly showed and stated the message of Truth first… until He didn’t only make ripples, He created turbulent waves. And the more clearly He presented the Truth, the more adamantly it was rejected. He knew when the time had come to be silent. He knew His words were being wasted on an audience who had already determined not to listen with open minds and hearts.

God also knew that a greater victory could be won by stepping back from the heated debates in the temple… the time had come to lay it down.

So although it all appears so wrong that Jesus died… so much like Satan’s will was in control… God’s hand was over it all. It was His will that Jesus stopped telling them His message. He was silent in Pilate’s hall, and didn’t protest as they nailed Him to the cross. He suffered the injustice… the shame… the rejection…

and by all appearances, the Truth died.

Death had won.

But what an amazing victory when the grave was empty on the third day!

God allowed Satan that brief taste of victory.

Only because God saw the greater good.

Satan’s attempt to defeat Jesus really backfired.

Jesus died, yes. And because of His death, through the blood of the Perfect Sacrifice, salvation was made freely accessible to all humanity through the simple & sacred avenue of prayer!

The resurrection power would not exist, had there not been a death prior.

And so it is in all of our life circumstances. This world holds evil. Satan attacks us. Causes us pain. But God is always in control! God Alone sees the full picture which contains the greater good in every situation.

God will never allow Satan to do anything that will not lead to our greater good.

Our loving, all wise Father has a resurrection planned to follow every death He allows.

This Easter, trust Him with everything that seems to be dead in your life. He will bring a resurrection if you remain in Him… the dark grave which your crushed dreams lie in today has potentional to be the womb which will birth greater things than you can imagine!

No, the exact things you desired might not be granted in this life. What emerges from a monarch chrysalis is completely different than the worm that went into it… but the butterfly is far more beautiful. On the other hand, the last chapter of Job tells of God restoring the things that were lost, in greater abundance.

Regardless of how it may look, there will be a resurrection for the death of your dreams. Hold on to faith in Jesus, and I know you will love His choice for you.

Because when you let Him walk with you through the pain, you will always emerge more beautiful. He pours Himself into the cracks of every broken heart that is yielded to His will. And some sweet day, by God’s grace…

you will reach perfection when you pass through your physical death and awake in a complete resurrection.

Never again to be harmed by evil. Death forever conquered…

And oh, what a Glorious Morning!