The Night Before (devotion)
A few years ago I was helping do a revival and heard a sermon from a friend of mine who read these verses.
Luke 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
This wasn’t the sermon but, I was thinking to myself….you know, from the foundation of the world possibly millions of years ago our Lord saw these events and now the hour has come in Gods human form to fulfill those things which were established by Him before time began. So these were some of the events of “The Night Before.”
Jesus came from the Upper Room where He and His disciples had just eaten the meal known as the Last Supper. They walk it many times, close to a mile away….across the Kidron valley up a hill to a place called Garden of Gethsemane or Mt of Olives. It was an Olive garden.
Jesus saw what was coming by way of the cross...Jesus saw the beating of the Roman whip with the metal attached to the ends that would rip the skin from the victims back.
Beaten beyond recognition and could barely see to carry an old wooden cross to die on.
That night before: He saw that same blood that would run down His arm and drip off his elbow as the nails were driven into His hands.
That night before: He saw that same blood dripping off His toes and down to the foot of the cross as nails was driven into His feet.
The night before: He saw that same blood as a crown of thorns was placed on His head and that same blood ran down His forehead onto His eyebrows and down onto His eyelashes and into His eyes and blared His vision.
But wait!!!
The blood might have blared His human vision but, Jesus was God in the flesh.
The night before: He saw that blood as salvation to who so ever would come to Him.
The night before: He saw you and me as we came to that cross and that blood washed away our sins and give us life eternal.
The night before: He could see the defeat of death and the fall of Satan and sin.
The night before: He could see the plans of a Heavenly home for you and for me.
Love in Christ Jesus, Ronnie Miller www.themillersbiblestudy.com
