Grieved to the Point of Death

And He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved to the
point of death; remain here and keep watch."

Mark 14:34

How quickly do we read this verse? It has just become part of the story for us. A means to an end. Do we ever sit and ponder the humanity of Jesus at this point? Do we think of him more as God than man? Able to handle the sorrow and pain to come, I mean, he is God after all.

Grieved to the point of death. What does that even feel like?

The hour is late. Stillness settles like an eerie cloud over Jerusalem. As He enters the gate in the wall around Gethsemane, Jesus motions to Peter, James, and John to come with Him...

Jesus moves slowly, perhaps stopping to lean against a gnarled tree trunk. White knuckles protrude from tightened fists and His head hangs in weariness. The men glance at one another, wondering what to do. Their Teacher has never been like this before. They saw Him cry when His friend Lazarus died; and only a week ago, as He entered Jerusalem, He sobbed out loud over the neediness there. Yet that was a strong cry--laced with sadness perhaps, but not despair.

This is different. Overwhelming sorrow consumes Him. Teeth clenched, Jesus utters: "My soul is grieved to the point of death"...a beleaguered bellow from the depths of His being.

from Contemplating the Cross by Tricia Rhodes, p. 6