Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: PROCRASTINATE (08/04/16)
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TITLE: The Garden Can Wait | Previous Challenge Entry
By M. C. Syben
08/10/16 -
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“Come on men, we’re going to be late, again. Stop belly aching.” Jesus sighed, becoming more exasperated with his disciples.
“Rabbi, you are too stressed, too driven. Learn to relax,” Peter said.
“That’s exactly what I want to do. You know I always find the garden calming.”
“Sure, but Gethsemane isn’t going anywhere; it can wait, can’t it?” said one of the sons of Zebedee who agreed with Peter. They were all exhausted and no one was excited about the all-nighter Jesus claimed he needed.
Although subservience to the rabbi was their middle name at the start, the disciples were becoming more fearful from the controversy that he seemed to arouse. They reacted as stubborn mules refusing to budge.
(Meanwhile, Judas, who never ran out of energy, was off negotiating a deal to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin. He had no idea that nothing was going according to schedule with Jesus.)
“Rabbi, put your feet up for thirty minutes. What’s the difference whether you pray here or in the garden? Let us catch our breath—perhaps have some cheese and wine to strengthen us for the night air. A half hour won’t make a difference in the world,” Peter insisted.
Jesus exhaled a long, slow breath. He grew weary of his entourage’s humanity. “I could always go alone,” he thought. “But then, none of my disciples could record the event. The words of the prophets will not be fulfilled. No, better wait until they are ready.”
While Jesus prayed and his disciples ate and drank, Judas arrived at the garden with a great, angry crowd sent from the chief priests and the elders. He had plan to give them a sign, kiss the man who was Jesus, so they would know who to arrest.
Instead, the garden of Gethsemane was empty. “I swear; Jesus was supposed to be here this very hour.”
In anger, the crowd turned on Judas, beat him, and stoned him to death.
When the Lord arrived, they found the former disciple’s remains. They turned to Jesus. “You brought Lazarus back from the dead.”
“Lazarus was a righteous man. I cannot/will not help Judas.”
After much weeping and discussion, they carried the body back to town to prepare it for burial.
Days later, a less elaborate funeral was held for Barabbas whom Pilot tried and executed.
However, many weeks passed before the Sanhedrin concocted another plan to identify Jesus for capture. But Pilot never found the rabbi guilty enough to be crucified. His sacrifice was never accomplished all because of a choice to procrastinate one time when it was of the utmost importance to stay obedient to God’s schedule.
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As Christians, we are thankful the above scenario never happened. Thank the Lord for committing to God’s timing; it was everything and gave us the means of salvation.
The immediate satisfaction I feel from postponing the inevitable, will later manifest in a sinking feeling of regret usually accompanied with unthought-of repercussions. “Lord, help me to follow your example each time I have the temptation to delay.”
Matthew 26: … “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from
me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
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Well done!
Well done!
I know it's a scary prospect to re-vise something from the Bible to tell a "what if" scenario, and there is a certain compulsion to want to step in and explain it to the readers, but I really feel this is such a strong lesson on how perfect Jesus is/was that it is much more impactful if you just let the readers take it in and figure out the repercusssions on their own.
Others (yourself included) may, probably do, feel differently, but that's my two cents.
Again, what a great idea and original take, on this week's topic.