As I studied the scene of Christ in Gethsemane, I was touched in each version by His plea to the disciples to stay with him. “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death,” He said. “Tarry ye here, and watch with me” (Matthew 26:38). In the midst of His trials, the Savior desired the companionship of those He loved to walk with Him.
When we study the atonement, we often admire how Jesus took all of our sins upon Him. Only He could do it; only He could carry such a load. And yet, although He was divine while His companions were mortal, He craved their support and presence.
In our lives, we often try to walk through our trials alone. We think of how Jesus stood alone in Gethsemane, how even the Holy Spirit withdrew from Him. And yet, in the midst of this greatest of all of His trials, He desired the fellowship and support of those He loved.
Many times, we have to be reminded to let the Savior carry the burden of our sins, to allow Him to help. But even more, we need to remember that we should allow others to walk with us, as well. The disciples could not take the sins of the world upon them, and Christ did not ask them to. What he craved, instead, was their presence and company, their emotional support. So, too, do we often struggle with our trials, burdens that no one can (or should) take from us. But we can allow others to surround us with love, to give us a hug, and to walk beside us.
We think, sometimes, that we can do it all, that we can make it through our trials. We forget that the Lord provided us with family and friends to walk with us, to hug us and love on us, to help us with smaller obstacles while we fight the larger battles. We should give them the opportunity to serve, and take strength from them, even as Christ might have taken strength from the presence of his apostles and friends.
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