And angel appeared… for strength

“And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” Luke 22:43

If you are not familiar with the scene, this happened in the garden the night Jesus was betrayed.  The time was drawing near for Him.  His hour had come.  He was going to glorify the Father.  He was going to the cross.

He was going to pay the price for our sins. 

And angels came to strengthen Him.   And do you know what they gave Him the strength necessary to do?…

Pray.

That’s right.  I often think that the angels came to give Him the strength to suffer… but He had already been committed to doing that.  He had already prayed “Thy will be done.”

Jesus’ response to the ministry of the angels, which apparently did not remove His agony…

(oh how many times I wished that the angels would come and remove my agony… but only now do I realize why they should come!...)

…was to pray more earnestly.

“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:44

Lord, that we would recognize that in our darkest hour, in our most severe time of need, and at the moment that we consider that You send angels to minister to our needs… we should pray more earnestly.

SDG