Fear In The Garden

All of us have fears.  Some of us chose to face those fears and others to turn our backs on them.  We pat ourselves on the back when we conquer a small fear but still choose to hide our faces at our biggest fears.  Think about your fears for a moment.

What are some fears that you have?
What are some fears that you have overcome?
Are you currently working on overcoming any fears?  If so, what is holding you back?
What is your biggest fear?  Have you taken any steps to overcome this?
Have you cried out to God about your fears?

For the past week I have been working on overcoming a fear of my own.  I can confidently say that through God and the welcoming arms of my church family, I was able to overcome this fear and experience God‘s blessing abundantly.

In reflections of this Easter season the verse that has been repeating in my head over and over is  “…he fell to the ground and prayed….“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you.  Take this cup from me.  Yet not what I will, but what you will.”  (Mark 14:35,36 NIV)  These words were the cries of Jesus, the only Son of God, in the garden of Gethsemane as he prepared to take on the sin of the world.  Can you imagine the sorrow our dear Jesus felt?  I think of His heart breaking thinking of the countless number of people who turned their backs on him in disbelief.  The sorrow that welled up inside his already broken heart knowing that one of his beloved disciples would betray him.  I once believed Jesus walked confidently towards his impending destiny, I am realizing that, although confident in God, he still experienced the human flesh reactions to fear.  “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”  (Luke 22:44 NIV)  As his human body physically showed the signs of the fighting flesh we find the humbleness of our gracious Savior captured in these few words as the soldiers came to seize him: “I am he”, Jesus said…they drew back and fell to the ground.” (John 18:5,6 NIV)  Moments after falling on his face and crying out to God to remove this cup if it is His will with the blood still fresh on his sweating body, the soldiers requested “Jesus of Nazareth” (Luke 18:5)…”I am he”.  

The power behind those three short words is breathtaking.  “I am he.”

This is how our Savior faced immense fear!  He “fell to the ground and prayed” not his own will but for God’s will then he boldly said “I am he”.

I don’t tell you this to lead myself or you to believe we are anything close to what Jesus was.  He was the One and Only.  But when facing fears of your own, please take time to think of how you are reacting to them in light of how your Savior has.  Cry out to our Sovereign God.  Be honest with Him, tell Him exactly how you feel.  Yet don’t tell Him what you want the outcome to be as we so often do!  Pray for His will over your own.  Trust Him.  Go forward boldly where God’s will takes you.  Step out of the garden of fear and into God’s will for your life!

You are he/she - a chosen servant of a Holy God!