Daily Devotionals

John Gossner's Treasury

Devotional: March 10th

And being m an agony, he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:44.

What few words, and yet how much they contain! Centuries will not suffice, and all tongues and pens are too few, to state or describe what the Savior has suffered. He who quickens the dead; He who, like the Father, has life in Himself; He who has given to all life and spirit and all things; struggles in death in order that He may give to all sinners guilty of death, life and salvation. He struggles in death, is full of the agony of death. How incomprehensible is this, and yet what a matter of joy, and how trustworthy! Life, the Originator of life, struggles in death, and His agony and terror wring from Him bloody sweat, and you will put no restraint upon yourself that you may become disengaged from the sin that causes Him so much pain? He prays, and prays ever more forcibly and earnestly, and you will not be constant in prayer, letting your hands fall so soon? His sweat becomes like blood because of your sins, and you are neither anxious nor troubled, you do not feel concerned about your salvation? You leave that to the gracious God and follow your inclinations. Alas! I fear that you let the bloody sweat of your Savior fall on the ground without making use of it and that it will be lost for you. O come, and make haste to the Mount of Olives. Behold the drops of His blood! Pray, and struggle with your Savior until you perceive the power and the efficacy of His blood in your heart, until you have found peace in Him. Then do not let go of that which you find in Him but hold it fast throughout all eternity.

Glory be to Jesus,

Who, in bitter pains,

Poured for me the life-blood

From His sacred veins!

Abel’s blood for vengeance

Pleaded to the skies;

But the blood of Jesus

For our pardon cries!