36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39Going 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.”
40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41″Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
42He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
In this passage you will notice that Jesus goes and prays 4 seperate times. He know what is coming and he asks and begs the Father to take this cup from him, but only if it is his will. This scripture here has so much information in it that we could have several posts about it, but I am going to talk about relationships and prayer.
Here is the Son of God and he is praying to his Father, to our Father. The creator of the Universe is listening to you and me through prayer. How many times have you just laid in bed and prayed until you fell asleep? The Bible tells us that we should be in constant prayer, but tat is not what I am talking about. What I am talking about is the prayer of anguish, the prayer of respect, the prayer that causes you to set aside your time to talk with the our Father.
Jesus falls to his face in prayer seeking the Lord’s guidance and mercy from his Father. He is constantly in conversation talking and developing a relationship with the Lord. I know you all have some relationships in your life. Whether it is a spouse, a friend, a child, or co-worker there is a relationship of some sort. In those relationships how many of them came with a manual? How many of them have a book that you can refer back to to know what to say or not say etc? Non of them, the Bible is a manual on who our God is and his word. But you cannot develop a relationship with him through a book no more than you can develop a relationship with your spouse or friends.
Prayer is the way you do this, prayer is what is going teach you how to listen to the Holy Spirit and speak to the Lord as well as Listen.
I encourage each of you to take the time and fall to your knees this week and listen to what the Holy Spirit says, pray in anguish to be a better, father or mother, pray that you will be a better son or daughter, a better sibling, employee, pray that you obey, nurture, and sacrifice everything for the wel being of you family and faith.
Love one another and be blessed!
