Sweat like blood

In Luke 22:44 it says, "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground."

Great drops of blood.

These words have haunted me. Imagining the sweat of Jesus pouring out like blood as he prays, anticipating his death.

These are meaningful words with much symbolism and foreshadowing, but they also speak plainly about the intensity of the situation.

Jesus was at the end of Himself. If left to His human desire, the suffering to come would have been taken from Him.

Verse 42 says, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."

The sweat drops like blood from the terror of what is to come, but knowing what is needed of Him, he continues on.

Facing pain, suffering, and ridicule, Jesus  relies utterly on His Father and His Father's plan and in doing so offers salvation to the world.

It was the most significant act of obedience ever.

Do we take the plan that God has set out for us this seriously? Do we agonize over it and fear its difficulty?  Do we follow it with such utter reliance on God, knowing that we can achieve it no other way? Do we find joy in this process?

Have you ever experienced sweat like drops of blood?

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