In the garden
Luke 22:39-46
39 He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. 45 When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”
Some context: The Mount of Olives was like an urban forest – a very large carefully planted orchard – after dark it would have been very hard to find someone who was hiding there. The pursuers would be heard well before those being chased were ever seen. It was a safe place. It was a quiet place.
In this safe, quiet place Jesus prayed; prayed as he had done many times before, from the very start of his ministry. Jesus prayed for himself that if there was any way that the cross could be avoided; if there was any other way would God please change things so that he (Jesus) did not need to face this agony. As we are in Holy Week and tomorrow is Good Friday we should not forget that the cross involved real suffering on Jesus’ part. We cannot say, “He was God it did not really hurt that much.” No, in the cross Jesus experienced the pain and agony of physical suffering. And on the Mount of Olives his prayer was, “If there is another way let’s do that.” But in the end Jesus submitted to God’s will. Here Jesus is our example, when following the Jesus way involves suffering, we have one who goes ahead of us encouraging us to say, “Not my will but yours be done.”
We are also to note that Jesus urged his followers to pray for themselves that in the hours ahead they would not be in “the time of trial.” That they would be saved from the hard road that following Jesus often entails. Behind this is also the prayer that they would have the strength they needed to remain faithful even in the face of the hard road. But the disciples are oblivious to the anxiety of the moment and they fall asleep. Jesus invites us to be alert and pray.
PRAYER:
Following you is hard, Lord Jesus. Protect us from the temptations that would invite us to stop following you. Keep us alert that we might join you in prayer as we seek to do God’s will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.