9 - Jesus Falls the Third Time

A moment ago Jesus was preaching to the women, He seemed strong again, but a small stone or a shove from a guard has sent Him down to the ground.  His hardest fall so far, and it seems He can't get up again.  The others tug and pull, but His energy seems spent.

So has sin ever knocked you so hard that you thought you couldn't fight it any more, that it had got the better of you?  Was it some habit you allowed to take you over?  Something that started as an innocent indulgence?

Jesus somehow finds the energy to carry on a little further.  But we mustn't rely on our own strength.  What we have we must use, but God is our greatest strength, and our surest guide.  Before trying to get up we must invoke His help.  That way we gain the chance of going about things the right way.  Sometimes it's not sheer strength we need, but method.  Who's to say Jesus didn't ask for help getting up?  The artist suggests something wonderful here.  It's as though Jesus prayed a momentary prayer to His Father, just a brief thought while lying on the ground here, struggling to get up, and look: the Roman guard is reaching out - not in anger or frustration, but with concern, eager to help the suffering innocent man.

We're not innocent, but the innocent man gave Himself to help us.  How He does that is a mystery, but even so, His help is not just real help, but good help too!  In fact it's the best help you could ever get.  So let's resolve never to fail to ask for His assistance.  He is the transcendent God, more powerful than all the forces of nature in the entire Universe.  It's only out of love for sinners that He allowed Himself to be treated so badly.  The lower we fall, the more He wants to help, and the more we need Him.  And see here: Jesus is no stranger to grovelling on the ground.  However low we fall, He'll get down there with us.

Our strength is always small compared to His divine capacity and love.  So let's always try to do our part, but always - always trust in the Lord to do His part for us!