Jesus Knows Abandonment

Text: Luke 22:39-46

Today begins a look at the final week of Jesus' life before the crucifixion. During these days the focus of the thoughts in this series will turn to the theme of Jesus knowing our pain--because he has experienced. Heb, 2:14-18 tells us that he was made like us in all things. These final days will highlight the extent to which is true.

No one likes the feeling of being abandoned--left alone with none to share either burden or responsibility. Tragically, we see all too many examples of this in today's world as parents abandon children or one another, as companies leave communities which relied upon them for employment and vitality, and as trusted friends walk away when they are most needed. Some people feel that the church has abandoned them.

These are very difficult times of life to experience. Things which were counted on have to be rethought; people we believed in may not be present at all, meaning either something will remain undone or we will need to find another to take on the role or responsibility. When we hear someone tell us they will pray for us, but we find that this has never happened, we are distraught. Jesus himself knew very well what abandonment feels like.

Imagine Jesus, knowing that there was a horrible death awaiting him. Then imagine finding the ones he trusted most to pray with him, for him, and finding them asleep. There would be no dramatic rescue operation; he was going to suffer and die. "Couldn't you guys pray for an hour?" Some burden bearing!

Has there been an abandonment in your life that causes great suffering, even though it may have happened many years ago? One thing we can be sure of is that Christ knows what it is like. He had every reason to expect the support of his closest friends. Yet that support did not come. When we tell him about our experiences, he will cry and share that pain because he's known it first hand. So regardless of how old the wound may be, or how it continues to plague ongoing relationships, our Lord was prepared to hear about them by the things he suffered.