But such failure on the part of those who were loved and trusted will add
immensely to the burden of the battle that we are fighting for God and the
souls of men. It did so even to Jesus. Nothing more pathetic, more deeply
heart-moving, is written in all God's Book, than this simple picture of
the Man of Sorrows--struggling for the life of the human race, absolutely
bereft of human aid--coming in the midst of His dark conflict to seek the
touch of sympathy, a hand-grasp, a word, a look from those His well-loved
followers, only to find them asleep in the gloom. Retracing His steps, He
casts Himself on the ground, and cries, "My Father, if it be possible, let
this cup pass from Me." Am I wrong in saying that it was an added
ingredient of bitterness in that cup to find that these, His trusted ones,
could only sleep, while He must go forward to suffer?
But their failure did not stop Him. No, not for one moment. There was
agony in His heart, there were death shadows around Him, and bloody sweat
upon His brow, but He did not waver. He went right on to finish the work
He had promised to do. Gladly would He have had them with Him; steadfastly
He goes forward without them! Here also is a lesson for you and for me.
_The work is more than the worker_. And in times when we must lose,
for our work's sake, that which we count dearer to us than our lives, when
the iron of disappointed love enters our souls, as it entered His, we must
follow Him, and go forward, steadfastly forward.