Will we watch with him?

This week can we too watch with him, for one brief hour, in this his time of victory through life laid down (John 12:24-25; Rom 12:1)? Let us join these beautiful, ancient olive trees, who once watched their Lord and Maker, so hard-pressed, give all for us: that we might lay down our lives too, for him, much fruit to bear, and by his death, receive new life in him.

GETH-SEMANE – garden of the olive oil press

O Garden, Garden, Gan Gat-Semenah, was this sight just for you, to keep?
Your Lord in such dire straits, alone, His friends asleep?

Did you watch with Him one brief hour, while He did seek to flee
From His afearéd choice. “Avi, my Father, take this dread cup away from Me!
Yet not My will, O Lord of Mine, but Yours be done”.

O Garden, full of Tears, and witnessing such awe-some things,
Oil so hard-pressed, now poured out, Your Master held by satan’s rings.
Trees that He planted, olive-healing for His blinded sheep,
You witness such deep pain and agony, His death-door openings.

Was ever garden formed for this, to wait like Miriam for her heaven's sword?
Mirror of Gan Eden, broken, yet through great love, to be restored?
Ancient trees, all-giving, and like Father, watching in His perfect time
For Jesus - come to weep His life full out, to give in all-surrender, and
In suffering now, His learned obedience, laid down His will before His Lord.

We, too, do need this breaking, willingly, no sentient feeling
Only - our will surrendered too with heavy tears before the King.
Our hiding place, security, is found alone in Him. Cross-bound, alone;
And broken, willingly, like Him we too may learn obedience through
Our suffering - “Thy will be done”. Ourselves now to this Love unknown,
Embraced and held, in our reflecting all-surrender, we must bring.

This garden will again be new, restored to pristine beauty now,
And man, like olive trees that watched the victory of their Lord, will bow
The knee to Him. His sweat, like blood - expression of His love
Out-poured in prayer, His life laid down - will bear the promised fruit.
And we, brought back to Eden, fruit of His fruit, no longer sleeping-mute,
Will give Him all our thanks and praise, for death and life hard-won by Him,
And yes, for His long-suffering, our very life in Him, and to complete our vow.

Gan Gat-Semenah, Good Friday