Morning, March 23
Go To Evening Reading
“His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the
ground.”
Luke 22:44
The mental pressure arising from our Lord’s struggle with temptation, so forced his frame to an unnatural excitement,
that his pores sent forth great drops of blood which fell down to
the ground. This proves how tremendous must have been the weight of sin when it was able to crush the Saviour so that he distilled great
drops of blood! This demonstrates the mighty power of his love . It is a very pretty observation of old Isaac Ambrose that the gum
which exudes from the tree without cutting is always the best. This
precious camphire-tree yielded most sweet spices when it was wounded
under the knotty whips, and when it was pierced by the nails on the
cross; but see, it giveth forth its best spice when there is no whip,
no nail, no wound. This sets forth the voluntariness of Christ's sufferings , since without a lance the blood flowed freely. No need to put on
the leech, or apply the knife; it flows spontaneously. No need for
the rulers to cry, “Spring up, O well;” of itself it flows in crimson torrents. If men suffer great pain
of mind apparently the blood rushes to the heart. The cheeks are pale;
a fainting fit comes on; the blood has gone inward as if to nourish
the inner man while passing through its trial. But see our Saviour
in his agony; he is so utterly oblivious of self, that instead of
his agony driving his blood to the heart to nourish himself, it drives
it outward to bedew the earth. The agony of Christ, inasmuch as it
pours him out upon the ground, pictures the fulness of the offering
which he made for men.
Do we not perceive how intense must have been the wrestling through
which he passed, and will we not hear its voice to us? “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Behold the great Apostle and High Priest of our profession, and sweat
even to blood rather than yield to the great tempter of your souls.