Living in the FOG: the Fellowship of Gethsemane

To fellowship is to partake in the presence of and to join in the journey of those in Christ.  When we look at the FOG as the Fellowship of Gethsemane we call to remembrance what took place that night.

That was the night He was betrayed.  That was the night that His three closest disciples could not stay awake when He needed them.  That was the night He sweat blood and desired if it were at all possible, that the cup He was being offered might pass from Him.  That was the night where He prayed for us all.  That was the night that all His followers fled from Him to save their own skin.  That was the cold, lonely, painful… triumphant night.

Gethsemane represents sorrow.  It represents a type of suffering and pain that we all face.  True, we have crosses to bear… but not as He did.  Still, could not that night described above bear some resemblance to the days we have lived through?  The cold and lonely nights where we feel betrayed? 

Why would God give us such pain if His Son already bore it?

Why would the scriptures declare that, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;”  (Phil 1:29)

What kind of encouragement do we find when we read, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Tim 3:12)  Is this a good motivation to live godly lives? 

Where is our hope?

Only in this…

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with [him]:” 2 Titus 2:12a

And,

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:17

To reign with Christ, to be glorified together with Him… this is the reward of suffering for Him.  This is the reward for the Fellowship of Gethsemane.

SDG