God’s Agony

(3 Minute Read plus video. 05Aug2020)

Stars of the Small Magellanic Cloud
One of the Milky Way’s closest galaxies

What do you think caused God the most trouble?

What was the hardest thing for Him to do? Many suggestions have been proposed.

Some look at the intricacy of a single living cell, and marvel at its complexity. Genetic programming is still only partially understood. How could one ever think up the astounding DNA code?

Some look at the huge diversity of plant and animal life and muse, “How could anyone conceive of all that variety?”

Some look at all the amazing organs of the human body and marvel at how well they work together. How difficult it must have been to make a seeing eye, a hearing ear, a smelling nose, or a thinking mind!

Some look at the vastness of outer space with the uncountably large number of stars. Our own Milky Way galaxy contains over 100 billion (100,000,000,000) stars, and there are well over 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe. Some imagine that His work of creating all the stars was His hardest job ever.

Were the stars the Great Creator‘s hardest job? I don’t think so. That was all done on Day 4 of Creation Week. The creation of the entire starry host is only briefly mentioned as an aside,
He made the stars also,
in the midst of describing the creation of the sun and moon. (Genesis 1:14-19)

According to the Psalmist, making the starry host was no trouble for the Great Creator. He simply spoke them into existence.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast. (Psalm 33:6,9)

The Psalmist’s response to this work of the Great Creator should also be our response:
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. (Psalm 33:8)

But was this the Great Creator‘s most difficult task?
I don’t think so.

God’s Trouble

So what caused the Great Creator the most trouble?

In my opinion, it was Adam’s sin. That caused the Great Creator the most trouble, and His work of salvation was His most demanding, costliest job.

That sin continued in men’s hearts in the generations after Adam’s initial rebellion, increasing until it culminated in an utterly wicked world in Noah’s day. The affront to the Great Creator is vividly described in Genesis:
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. (Genesis 6:5-6)

God engineered deliverance for the human race through Noah’s obedient, faith-filled construction and occupation of the Ark, foreshadowing the eventual permanent rescue through Jesus Christ.

Redemption cost the Great Creator, Jesus of Nazareth, a life of trouble and a horrible death. It cost him blood, sweat, and tears to redeem sinful man. Luke’s report of his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane shortly before His arrest conveys some of His anguish over the work of redemption. He even needed an angel to strengthen Him for the coming ordeal.
And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. (Luke 22:41-44)

Jesus in Gethsemane

 
Here’s a short (2:36) video rendition of the hymn Go to Dark Gethsemane with the lyrics following:

 
Go to dark Gethsemane, ye that feel the tempter’s power;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see, watch with Him one bitter hour,
Turn not from His griefs away; learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

Follow to the judgment hall; view the Lord of life arraigned;
O the wormwood and the gall! O the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suffering, shame, or loss; learn of Him to bear the cross.

Calvary’s mournful mountain climb; there, adoring at His feet,
Mark that miracle of time, God’s own sacrifice complete.
“It is finished!” hear the cry; learn of Jesus Christ to die.

Early hasten to the tomb where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom. Who hath taken Him away?
Christ is risen! He meets our eyes; Savior, teach us so to rise.

So what was the Great Creator‘s most difficult job? It was this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8) so that redeemed men and women could shine like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)

Questions to Ponder

1. Do you, like the Psalmist, fear the Great Creator? Do you stand in awe of Him? (Psalm 33:8)
2. How do you express appreciation for His work of redemption?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom. Soli Deo Gloria. Alere Flammam Veritatis.

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday August 5, 2020 A.D.

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

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