Lifetime Daily DevotionsSample

A Troubled Soul

Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, "Father, save Me from this hour"? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
John 12:27

The hour had come.

The culmination of His purpose here on earth; the culmination of His ministry, of His relationships as He had known them--walking the dusty streets of Galilee, talking around the campfire, eating fish by the seashore; touching, healing, loving. Everything that had been so carefully planned and everything He had accomplished during His earth-walk was coming to an end.

The hour had come. A traumatic hour. An hour of intense suffering and mental anxiety. An hour of separation from His Father. An hour that had been scheduled before the beginning of time. Every minute detail must go as planned.

No small wonder that His soul was troubled!

Does this mean that He had somehow lost the vision that had compelled Him to come to this forlorn place in order that this hour might be fulfilled? No.

Does this mean He was not "acting right" in this very traumatic and intense hour? That His performance was displeasing to God? No.

Does this mean that His faith was weak and wavering? No.

Does this mean that His love and commitment to me -- to you -- was faltering? No.

Very simply, it means that this God-man was human. It means that He was still very much the Son of Man. A man with emotions reacting to an intensely emotional experience.

Why do we think -- where have we learned -- that grief or compassion or a "troubled soul" is an indicator of weakness?

He answered His own question with an emphatic "No. This is the hour that I came for. This is the climax of the story. Why, the battle is almost over. I couldn't possibly leave now."

* * *

What "hour" is the reason for my being here? Have I been crying "Save me from this hour" when this could very well be my purpose for coming? And just because my soul is troubled doesn't mean that I'm balking, or reconsidering, or rebelling, or not acting right. It just means I'm human.

Human, yes, but "superhuman" as well, because I have God living within me, who will meet this hour for me. He promised.

He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Isaiah 40:29