Moment of Meditation: Exceedingly Sorrowful (Matthew 26:38)

''Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." (Matthew 26:38)''

Have you ever been so depressed that you wanted to die? It's not a fun temptation of the devil to go through. Hollywood is enamored with it. How many movies and television shows have done a spin-off of Jimmy Stewart's "It's a Wonderful Life"? I've run out of fingers and toes. And those are just the movies and shows I've seen personally.

Depression leads you down a dark and scary road from which some never return. There can be so many symptomatic reasons. But ultimately, depression is one of the devil's tools to keep people from being found by Jesus. From not believing His love for them.

Jesus was exceedingly sorrowful. He was tempted with depression in the oil press of Gethsemane. After having left eight of the Apostles behind, Jesus brings His inner circle further into the garden. But these three He sets as a guard so that He might pray in peace.

Jesus didn't fall into the temptation of depression. He overcame. Three times He prays that God's will be done in the coming days. In John 17, He prays for the disciples to be strengthened in their faith. Faith in the One who overcomes temptation. Jesus our Savior. Amen.