PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS (5)

“So He left them, went away again, and PRAYED the THIRD TIME, saying the same words” – Matthew 26:44

The Lord’s Gethsemane Prayer Session shows that His Prayer Habit was to PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS: “So He left them, went away again, and PRAYED the THIRD TIME, saying the same words” (Mt.26:44). Gethsemane was a familiar place of comfort for Jesus. However, He wanted His friends nearby while going through the season of agony. He pulled three of them – Peter, James and John – closer to Him, but still did the praying on His own because prayer is personal. His extreme sorrow drove Him to desperate prayer: “He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed” (vv.37-38). Jesus, the “Suffering Servant,” was destined for this: “A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isa.53: 3-4). Gethsemane was prophecy in fulfilment!

The process was however not easy or pleasant. Jesus was extremely stressed: “And being in agony, HE PRAYED MORE EARNESTLY. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Lk.22:44). Yet, His close friends were falling asleep! Persistently, He prayed asking if “this cup” – the cup of God’s wrath against our sins as described in Isaiah 51 and 53 – could be avoided (vv.39). Each time, He came back to His disciples probably for encouragement, but what a let-down to find them asleep (v.40). Of course, He knew they would be asleep, but wanted them to realize their own actions so the Gospel accounts could be complete. Peter had just said that he would die for Jesus, but he couldn't stay awake for Him (Mt.26:35).

Jesus made a significant statement: “WATCH and PRAY, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (v.41b). We also pray this in the Lord’s Prayer: “And do not lead us into temptation…” (Mt.6:13a). Yes, being tempted is not a sin, but the surest way not to sin is not to be tempted! We can’t fall off the cliff if we’re nowhere near the edge! Jesus had forewarned the disciples, but they weren’t even praying for help. His reference to the “spirit” and the “flesh” should not be used as excuse for sins, like, “we just couldn’t help it.” The fact is: Because our flesh is weak, we should all the more pray for God’s help in avoiding and resisting temptation.

Jesus prayed until something happened – His heart found rest in the Father’s Will! Although His persistent prayer was not answered in the way He wanted; it was answered in line with God’s perfect and right Will. That’s why the bulk of our prayer time should be spent in seeking God’s Will and Plan, not trying to tell Him what to do. On returning, Jesus told the disciples: “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand” (vv.45b-46). Such heroic calmness in an intense situation! “The hour is at hand” implies “the hour has arrived”! There is no more important statement in the entire history of God’s Plan of Salvation. Every action, prophecy, and plan led to this, and there was no turning back!

“Rise, let us be going” was the positive answer to the Gethsemane prayer. Jesus was fully prepared for the eternal Hour! This should define our Prayer Attitudes: To always accept God’s will, rather than fight and fuss; and to be alert to temptations around us, and not be lackadaisical in our spiritual life. It is ironic that Matthew framed Jesus’ earthly ministry with two similar events: the temptation by Satan and the prayer of Gethsemane. Satan tempted Jesus three times to abandon His course. Jesus prayed three times that God would let Him abandon His course. But in the end, Jesus did not falter. Being tempted is not a sin! And, having second thoughts or concerns is not a sin. Acting on either is. Under the worst pressure imaginable, Jesus prevailed in prayer, staying true to what He knew God wanted Him to do.