Matt 26:55 …Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

I’m not sure why today these words hit so hard: but when reading them today I was saddened. Why? I’ve known this for ages; read and heard this story since I was a child. Why today so sad; maybe it’s the Empathy for Jesus.

Knowing what he was about to go through, how he was brought to tears and sweating blood 🩸 in the garden, because He knew what He was about to endure. Yet, when He needed His friends the most they forsook Him and fled.

Maybe the empathy is for the disciples, they had been around Jesus for the last three years and they were blessed, nurtured, taught and experienced life changing moments with this “Family” member. Yet, when He needed help/assistance someone to ride with Him during what would become the toughest time of anyone’s life, they forsook Him and fled.

They Forsook & then Fled.

Forsook is explained by the Greek word, aphiēmi. Which among the many things this word describes, here are a few (let’s apply them to what the disciples did and also to what Jesus felt):

To leave, to let alone, to depart of a husband divorcing his wife, to disregard and to yield up. The crazy thing is that this same word is also used to denote letting go, giving up a debt, to forgive.

Take each word as a feeling and put yourself in the place of Jesus and in the place of the disciples. Can you relate to being left on your own, disregarded or even divorced (ripping apart a relationship/bond that was supposed to be last forever)? That is overwhelming!!!

Or what about having to let go of someone you love; give up on what should have lasted , or to forgive someone of the pain caused. It’s heartbreaking…

Then They Fled; the disciples ran to safety; yearned for their Safe Place…. Have you been overwhelmed before, what about heartbroken??? Have ever fled your current (difficult/challenging) situation and ran to safety??

So have some EMPATHY before you go judging this situation…..