32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. 41 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 delivered into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Mark 14:32-42, New International Version)
Theme: Rejoicing and Thanksgiving
Context
Thanks for your thoughtful comments again yesterday!
The Thursday of Passion Week is called Maundy Thursday because of the commands Jesus issued during The Last Supper. However, instead of focusing on the Last Supper, we will be extracting our lesson from another activity on Maundy Thursday – Jesus at Gethsemane. The lesson relates to vigilant praying.
We sometimes pray with our eyes closed to avoid distractions. However, keeping our eyes “open” in terms of being vigilant is a wise thing to do when we pray. That certainly was the case when Jesus told Peter, James, and John to watch and pray and modelled the behavior. The admonition is still very relevant to us today, especially as we engage in spiritual warfare daily.
Bible Passage
Please study the passage above. Consider Jesus’ command to His disciples, the challenge faced by the disciples, and the consequences of not watching and praying that Jesus predicts.
Question
What personal lessons about watching and praying do you take from today’s passage?
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