Gethsemane. It was the last place where Jesus was free. It was the place of decision and the place of surrender. It was the place where Jesus said to his Father “I will choose your will”.
The Greek word for Gethsemane is “Oil Press”. It took great pressure to extract the oil from the olives. The process began with beating the trees until the olives dropped (Dt 24:20). The olives were then fully crushed to get their oil and this oil was used as light (Ex 27:20). The picture below shows how an ancient olive press looked.
The potential of the olive was in the oil. The press was merely the process of transformation and release.
Jesus had come and for three years he had ministered. Jesus had done awesome things, he had done many good things. Jesus had demonstrated the Kingdom of God but now Jesus was in the garden and choosing to embrace the crushing that would enable the oil to be released. Jesus knew that his departure would release even more than the prior three years. “”But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7–8, NASB95) Oil makes the face shine (Psalm 104:15). Oil brings healing. (James 5:14, Luke 10:34). Oil gives light (Matt 25:4). Oil was a measure of wealth (Luke 16:1-8, 2 kings 4:7). Oil was used to anoint prophets and kings.
There comes a place where we realize that all we ever knew and understood to be true about us must be crushed. Our Gethsemane is the place where we surrender and allow God to reap a harvest of oil from our lives. When we fully say “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” (Mark 14:35–36, NASB95), oil can come from our lives and be used to touch the people around us.
This Gethsemane experience came in the dark season. It came when Jesus was alone. Although Jesus wanted the support of his friends, he found himself alone. Your Gethsemane will be a decision that will come in your private heartfelt prayers to God. You must decide alone. No one goes with you in Gethsemane. You decide to surrender. You decide to embrace the plans and the will of the Father.
This surrender is not easy, but it is an act of worship. By our surrender we demonstrate our trust in the love of our Father who will not leave us for dead but transform us and empower us. Gethsemane is the place of worship and decision. It is a place of intimacy and a place of trust. It leads to the cross. The cross leads to death. Death leads to resurrection and transformation. Jesus knew that although the road ahead was painful and hard, he knew that death was only a beginning. He understood the transformation and the resurrection were coming as well.
To surrender your life to the cross requires that you also understand that God has a greater purpose for you.
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