Reading Mark's account of Jesus in the olive grove called Gethsemane this morning, I was struck afresh by his vulnerable humanity, lowly humility and his unspeakable anguish, especially in his words: "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me … Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." Luke adds: "Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood."

This is the Son of God, the Word who became flesh and dwelt amongst us. In him all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. "He is the image of the invisible God … In him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Col. 1:15-17).

In Gethsemane, Jesus is crying out to his Father about a necessary course of action that the Trinity had decided upon in eternity past. It would be the only way to save the human race under the righteous condemnation of God for their rejection of him and their wilful sinfulness. Now, as a frail human being himself, the glorious King of Heaven is facing the absolute horror of carrying it out. Yet he does so with such courage, dignity and inner joy for what it would bring about: our forgiveness and a blessed eternity with him in heaven! Praise and honour be to his holy name for such love and grace!

We look back on that terrible night with such immeasurable gratitude that he saw it through. "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Col. 1:19-20).