The Olive Press
Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane;
and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
Mark 14:32
If you visit the village of Capernaum beside the Sea of Galilee, you will find an exhibit of ancient olive presses. Formed from basalt rock, the olive press consists of two parts: a base and a grinding wheel. The base is large, round, and has a trough carved out of it. The olives were placed in this trough, and then the wheel, also made from heavy stone, was rolled over the olives to extract the oil.
On the night before His death, the Lord Jesus went to the Mount of Olives overlooking the city of Jerusalem. There, in the garden called Gethsemane, He prayed to the Father, knowing what lay ahead of Him.
The word Gethsemane means “place of the olive press”—and that perfectly describes those first crushing hours of Christ’s suffering on our behalf. There He prayed, the Bible says in Luke 22:44, “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
Jesus the Son suffered and died to take away “the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and restore our broken relationship with God the Father. “Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; . . . .He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. ” (Isa. 53:4-5).
What are your "griefs and sorrows" this day? There may not be anything I can do for you, but I know Jesus can! What you need to do is bring your burdens to Him and cast them on His strong shoulders. He will lift away your burden and help shoulder the loads He decides to leave in place! Come to Him, and He will meet with you right now.
Read
Mark 14:32-39.
Prayer
Father, help me to understand what Your Son endured for me. Help me appreciate the depths of Your love that would allow my Lord and Christ to be crushed for my sins and my rescue. Thank You, for the Lord Jesus. Amen.
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