Luke chapter 22 verses 45-46 (NIV)
When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Matthew chapter 26 verse 38 (NIV)
Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
I think that it may have been a couple of years ago today when I read this portion of scripture in Luke, and realised that it said the disciples had fallen asleep exhausted from sorrow. I think I then felt a bit sorry for them and a bit more supportive of their falling asleep, because I felt that this was at least understandable.
Today however, I’m seeing it from another point of view. Matthew reminds us that Jesus had asked His friends to keep watch with Him because His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow. He didn’t fall asleep. He poured out His soul to His Father, because of what lay ahead. Something that He didn’t deserve and yet was doing on our behalf.
Yes, the disciples were having a really awful time, but Jesus wanted them to lay hold of God through it all. He wants us to do the same and not to use any hardships or difficulties we may be facing as an excuse to take things a bit easier spiritually. That’s when we should in fact be doing the opposite and making that effort to lay hold on God, no matter how we feel. Nicky Gumbel is quoted as saying, “Pray hard when it’s hardest to pray.”
Dear Lord,
I know that Jesus understands what its like to feel so sorrowful and sad that we would hope for an easier road. Yet He pressed on regardless for my sake. Help me therefore to follow His example in my own time pf hardship. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.