Tuesday Thought – January 5, 2016

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. He said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’ He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. Being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:39-44)

This isn’t the first time that Jesus taught His disciples about prayer. There are parables about prayer. Jesus showed them the model prayer in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus prayed His long prayer in John 17. We can look at the prayer to multiply the food for the 5,000 and the prayer to raise Lazarus from the dead and dozens of other prayers.

Jesus believed in prayer and practiced it for Himself and others. Jesus taught about prayer. Prayer was obviously important to Him.

Consider these lessons about prayer from this text:

Prayer can be a protection for us from temptation. Our strength will never be enough to protect us from the temptations Satan puts into our paths. We need God’s help to overcome.

Jesus demonstrated submission when He prayed. He knelt in the garden to pray. There was nothing casual about the way Jesus prayed. He didn’t take His relationship with the Father for granted or treat it lightly.

Jesus honestly told the Father what He wanted. He didn’t hold back His request. He wasn’t concerned that the Father wouldn’t understand or think less of Him because of what He asked. He wanted out of the way of the cross and He asked honestly for it.

Jesus wanted the will of the Father more than He wanted His own way. He submitted to His Father’s will above all. If the cross was what the Father wanted, Jesus was willing.

Prayer brought Jesus help. The Father didn’t bend His will to what Jesus wanted, but He did send angels to strengthen Jesus.

Lord, teach us to pray like Jesus prayed.

His, by Grace, Steve