Good Morning Friends,
“Jesus went with his disciples to Gethsemane,
and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took Peter
and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and
troubled. He said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of
death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’ Going a little farther, he fell with
his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup
be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’ He returned to his disciples
and found them sleeping. ‘Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?’
he asked Peter. ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The
spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’”
(Matthew 26:36-41)
There are things we can learn from the prayer
life of Jesus:
Jesus honestly expressed what He was feeling.
He was troubled and told that to the Father. Jesus’ prayer life teaches us that
there is no need to hold back so as not to shock or offend the Father. God
already knows what we are feeling, to be honest about it with Him is a positive
thing.
Jesus asked for what He desired. He asked that
the agony of the cross that lay ahead, be taken away. This was a matter of
honesty. Jesus knew what He was asking for was not possible, if He was going to
accomplish what both He and the Father wanted, yet He honestly expressed His
desire to the Father. He teaches us to be honest with the Father about our
desires -- even if we know they are wrong desires we should own those desires
before God and allow Him to do His work on them.
Jesus was willing to accept whatever the Father
wanted. Jesus’ own desires did not take precedence, the Father’s did. “Yet not
as I will, but as you will.” This is the bottom-line in prayer. To ultimately
and sincerely want what God wants, not what is best for us.
Look closely at Jesus’ prayer life and imitate
it!
His, by Grace, Steve
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