Obviously this passage is about prayer and I am sure many of us would consider prayer one of the principle ways we discern God’s will. But what can we learn specifically about prayer from the time Jesus spends in the garden? This week’s passage is more familiar to us than the last few. But sometimes that familiarity makes us think we have heard it all, we know it all. And yet I find that the Bible always has something new to teach us no matter how familiar the passage.
Luke states that Jesus withdrew to the Mount of Olives as was his custom. This implies that it was his habit. He didn’t seek God just because it was a critical time in his life but He seeks God on a daily basis. The definition of habit is a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition. How many of us have made prayer a habit?
When Jesus prays to the Father he prays “not my will but yours be done.” He is willing to accept God’s answer no matter how painful. Are we willing to accept God’s answer?
During this agonizing prayer Jesus is given strength by an angel. Perhaps this is why Jesus wants the disciples to stay awake and pray. He knows they are going to need strength to endure the next few days and the future.
Physically we get strength from a daily intake of food and water. Perhaps our spiritual strength comes from a daily intake of prayer.
Have you sung to the Lord?
ReplyDelete"When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His word..."
"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, oh what a foretaste of glory divine!"
(That's why I love the older pre-United Nations hymns. Sing to the Lord, worship our God with praise!)
This is another way to pray, not beseeching, but praise. It can enhance one's walk with God to do so.
"savior like a shepherd lead us, much we need thy tender care"
"He leadeth me, oh blessed thought..."
In this passage Christ was about to take the sins of the world and fight the great battle that conquered death forever.
I think that prayer was a bit different than most.
And they asked, how should we pray.... "our father, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name...."
Just food for thought.