Are you awake?

Let's take a walk back to the Garden of Gethsemane. "And Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Jesus spent what appears to be at least three agonizing hours in prayer. This is our Lord’s final act, before He is arrested, tried, and put to death. Never before have we seen Jesus so emotionally distraught. He has faced a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee, totally composed and unruffled. He has faced demonic opposition, satanic temptation, and the grilling of Jerusalem’s religious leaders, with total composure. But here in the Garden, Jesus cast Himself to the ground, agonizing in prayer. Something terrible was going to happen. And as His Father would have it, something terrible did happen. Well what seemed terrible, but for a believer in Christ it was one of the most incredible expressions of love ever made. 1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” It was the Father's will for his son to be sacrificed for our righteousness. Through this righteousness, we are able to come into the presence of our Holy Father and spend eternity in Heaven.

As I write these truths, are they just words on a page or perhaps a scripture you have seen before? I plead with you to take a deeper look. The God who created the world and us chose to send his son into our world to die on a cross because he loves us so much. God - El Shaddai (God Almighty) did this just for you. Why do so many take this truth for granted? Some acknowledge this as the truth, but casually accept it as opposed to falling on their knees in gratitude to our King. Then there are others who don't even acknowledge the greatest gift ever given. Someone died for you! Someone who was perfect and didn't deserve to die. He gave up his throne to come here. Jesus agonized for hours in prayer before being tortured, giving up his life, being separated from his heavenly father and being buried in a tomb. Who does this? Jesus loves you dearly and wants to be a part of your days, your heart, your life and your eternity.

It burdens my heart to see people who wake up every day and never give Jesus a thought. There are those who don't acknowledge Him for Who He is or what He has done. There are some who believe what He has done, but have grown numb to the incredible gift of righteousness and eternal life. I want to shout it from a mountain, "Wake up People!" In our final hours, the silly and temporary things of this world won't matter. What will matter is do you know him? Because of what Jesus did, I have a hope. Because of what Jesus did, I have a future. Because of what Jesus did, I have Him!