Sunday June 8, 2003

~ The hour ~

   They went to a place called Gethsemane and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
  
   Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and pray that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
  
   Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray that so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
  
   Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
  
   Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come, Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

— Matthew 26:36-46 (NIV) —

During tough times, what do you do to cope? Do you think God will make sure you will only have good times and never have bad times? It seems pretty apparent that bad times will come… I mean look at Jesus… he was “deeply distressed and troubled” God allowed it to happen and not just to anyone… we’re talking about His one and only Son. Jesus took some of the disciples, I guess that ones that were closest to him (that’s the only conclusion I can come to…) and told them about his troubles. He then told his pals to keep an eye out for trouble…

He went to be alone and to speak with his father. His prayer is 3 parts. 1) He says God is in control. 2) He knows and does not want to be crucified. 3) He acknowledges that God is LORD in his life… When life gets you down, it’s time to talk to God. When things start getting troublesome, depressing, and blue, it’s time to talk to God. Time to get things straight between you and the Big Man..

Jesus comes back… and finds his watchmen asleep at their posts. Gah! Jesus is having a horrible time right now and all the disciples can do is fall asleep. So Jesus tells them a little bit about his situation: “Watch and pray that so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” When we get into bad situations, we need to watch our steps, follow our God, and not fall to temptation.

This scenario plays itself out repeatedly… kinda reminds me of how I keep screwing up and God keeps watching me screw up again… and again… and again. It gets to the point where there is nothing left to say. I’m a sinner (Read: Screw-up) and I need Jesus.

The period of temptation ends… And Jesus has won against this temptation. Then Jesus goes out to do His Father’s will. “…Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” So if we wish to win against temptations in our life, no matter how hard they may be, we have to be alert, keep an eye out for sin/temptation… and pray… repeatedly.

God blesses~ God, may Your will be done. Place our feet in your footsteps, so we may learn to live a holy life, pleasing to You. I ask this in LORD’s name, Amen.