As our group discussed Matthew, chapters 26 and 27 this week, we were pretty hard on the three disciples who were assigned to "watch and pray" with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. I mean, really? They had just seen Mary anoint him for burial, Judas had left to betray him and Peter had declared he would never disown him - and all the other disciples did the same. Then Peter, James and John go with him to the garden to pray and Jesus says, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me."
Matthew says Jesus went a little further into the garden to pray alone. He returns to the disciples and finds His fickle friends asleep. And He asks, "Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour? " We were appalled at their weakness, their apathy, their laziness.
And then, we turned it around and asked ourselves, "When have WE prayed for one hour?"
Ouch! We are appalled at OUR weakness, OUR apathy, OUR laziness!
Oh, I know there are many who do pray for hours. And there are groups who pray all night. I am so grateful for them. But our little group has not had that opportunity. In fact, many churches do not take that opportunity. Call a prayer meeting and you might experience a spirit of rejection! And yet, it has come to that...
Wars, pandemics, lawlessness and perverted sex taught in elementary classrooms and we cannot tarry one hour? God help us!
Let's do better. Spend fifteen minutes praising God for His goodness. Then spend fifteen minutes examining your heart and confess anything that is not in alignment with God's heart.
Afterwards, concentrate on giving fifteen minutes of thanksgiving for His forgiveness and for all He is doing in your life. During the last fifteen minutes, offer your worries, cares and concerns and you have just prayed the ACTS acronym in one hour. It can change your life...
Our daughter helped her nieces and nephew make miniature Gethsemane Gardens during our Resurrection Celebration this past weekend. I was fortunate to be a recipient of one - it's a reminder to tarry...
"And He walks with me and He talks with me. And He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known." The words from the old hymn, In The Garden by C. Austin Miles are some of my favorite. Where is your garden?
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