Having the strength to do the Father’s will
He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say. Mark 14:35-40
The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. From the text, we were given Christ’s expression of His humanity. There were several times that He frequented in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray (see Luke 22:39; John 18:12). But this third occasion was different for He was facing a great crisis. Not only that He will be facing the agony of His suffering and imminent death but He was also aware that the Father would forsake Him for He will carry the sins of the world on the cross; past, present and future. God will pour out His judgment against mankind as the Lord Jesus Christ carries in His shoulders the sins of the world. He even went to the extent of falling on to the ground because of the overwhelming task before Him. All these things weighing in His mind, He asked His disciples, Peter, James and John, to watch and pray. Yet, there were several times when He returned to them, He found them sleeping. He told them to watch and pray so they will not give in to temptation. There are moments that our spirit must overcome the desires of our flesh. When the Lord commands us to “watch and pray,” it is crucial that we obey. As Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He knew that the peak of His ministry was quickly approaching. He was aware that the legions of hell were organizing their forces to defeat Him. If there was ever a critical time for His closest friends to show that they were with Him was at this moment keeping watch and in prayer. God knows that we can only find strength obeying Him when we are vigilant and in prayer. But how many times we became weak and hindered to obey God because we failed to trust Him? The Lord Jesus Christ is calling us to join Him in what He is doing. His call includes denying oneself and just like what Christ did, carry our cross daily and follow Him. “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Seek to bring every physical desire under the control of the Holy Spirit so that nothing will hinder your resolve to follow Jesus so you can do what He asks of you.
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman www.my-wbc.com
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