Daily Delight
On this Easter Sunday, I can’t help but reminisce on a recent trip to Israel, where I had the opportunity to walk and pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.The Garden of Gethsemane is full of olive trees. Olives have to be crushed and pressed in order to produce olive oil. The oil is often used for anointing, but without the pressing and crushing there would be no oil.It was here in the Garden that Jesus chose to sacrifice himself for our sins.⠀⠀⠀⠀It’s the place where he would plead and beg God for another way. He knew that he was not only about to experience the most excruciating form of execution in history, but he would also be taking on the wrath of God by becoming sin in order to save us from our sin. He would have to be crushed and pressed, much like the olives, in order to become the sacrifice needed to wipe away the sin of the world.⠀As I sat there surrounded by the trees, I remembered what happened at the beginning of time in another garden.It was in the Garden of Eden that Eve caused the fall of humanity. It was a moment of selfish decision making in a moment of deceit.I love that God used another garden to make a very different choice, one of redemption. Jesus made the most selfless decision in the Garden of Gethsemane to save all of humanity.⠀How incredible is the symbolism between these two gardens? God always has a redemption plan! The best part of it all is that He chose to die on the cross for us while we were still sinning. This means we do not have to be perfect to come to Him, we get to come to Him because of the sacrifice He made that night. So, as you celebrate the risen Savior today, know that you are deeply loved and forgiven!
About the Author
Courtney Wilson is a 27-year-old author, blogger and marketing strategist living in Birmingham, Alabama. She is the founder of The Trailblazer Journals, a community for women to become trailblazers for God. Courtney is passionate about leading leaders, developing dreams in our generation and helping others live out their God-given purpose. She hopes to make a difference in other’s lives for God’s Kingdom globally and through the local church. In her spare time, she loves traveling, eating good food and hanging out with friends.You can connect with her on Instagram here and find her blog, The Trail Blazer journals, here.