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.” Then 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.” He 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.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then 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. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Matthew 26:39-46 (NIV)
Jesus sets forth a pattern for us here in Gethsemane – retreat for prayer and return to life. Over and over again we see this as His pattern for the rhythms of life. This is to be our pattern as well. We pour out to the Father and are filled with His wisdom and ways and we go forth walking in His power and for His glory, often doing things too hard for us to do. Flesh will recoil and flee at extraordinarily difficult happenings. We seek to avoid them. Yet, in God’s economy, if He allows the trial in the life of His heirs of mercy it is always for their good often carrying with it great treasure as everything allowed is to make us more and more like the greatest treasure of all - Jesus. There is beauty in the hardest ashes.
God’s pattern is a pattern of retreat and return. How often we neglect our time of being alone with the Lord in His Word and in prayer to get both our marching orders and strength to carry them out. We do ourselves much harm and cause ourselves much confusion when we do not do it God’s way. King David writes the Lord is our Shepherd Who leads us beside still waters and paths of righteousness as well as restores our souls. If the disciples in our verses for today had followed their Lord’s example they would have been better prepared for what they were about to walk through. God prepares His saints through His Word and prayer and we cause ourselves much pain when we neglect His prescribed way choosing rather to walk in earthly wisdom which is actually no wisdom at all.
Scripture and prayer are both gifts from God to equip His saints for great exploits in their trek to heaven. We do not want to go forth in our own wisdom and strength – getting us nowhere fast. Trust in Him and lean not on our own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all things and He will make our paths straight. Jesus modeled prayer prior to action and we would do well to follow in His footsteps.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.** Mark 1:35 (NIV)**