Wednesday 3 October, 2012

39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

In this time of extreme anguish, when Jesus knew what he would suffer in order to be obedient to His Father, He still chose to do it. As humans we focus on the physical pain He suffered, but I believe that for Jesus separation from His Father would be the most extreme suffering for Him. We cannot fully comprehend what that is like. His love for us is so self-sacrificial. We need to ponder that anew and never take it for granted. Then we will not lose “our first love” for him.

Secondly, in the midst of all that was happening to him Jesus was urging the disciples to pray that they would not fall into temptation. Despite the suffering He was facing He was still teaching and looking after his followers first.

Jesus thank you, thank you, thank you. Help me to make choices of obedience, not convenience.

Written by Megan Cornell