PRAYING THE HEART OF JESUS (5)

“And He said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from me; nevertheless, not what I will , but what You will” – Mark 14:36

The Father’s Will is at the centre of PRAYING the HEART of JESUS: “And He said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from me; nevertheless, not what I will , but what You will” (Mk.14:36). Mark’s Gospel presents a slightly similar account to Matthew’s of the Lord’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane; one which put’s the Father’s Will in sharp focus. The Last Supper was over. The betrayer had left to summon the temple guard and alert the Jewish court. Everything had been set into motion for the final scene in the final act of Jesus’ earthly ministry. It seemed that there was nothing left to do now but to wait.

So Jesus took the disciples with Him to one of His favorite spots: the Garden of Gethsemane. However, He didn’t go there just to wait; there was one more thing that must be done: PRAY! Matthew and Mark vividly describe Jesus’emotional state at this moment: grieved, distressed, and emotionally stricken beyond measure. The weight of what was about to happen – betrayal, denial, abandonment, pain, suffering, death – fell on Him like an avalanche. No one can hurt any more than Jesus did at this moment. If we have ever been to the brink of emotional devastation, we can know that Jesus understands. He’s been there, too, but chose to pray!

It is surprising that Jesus didn’t go off to pray alone into this private place at this sombre moment, but with His discples! He took them there, not for their companionship iand comfort or for them to serve as sentries during this difficult hour of waiting, but for their own sakes and to teach them a final lesson, the subject of which was prayer. What do we do when we find ourselves growng through agony almost beyond measure? What should we do when we are facing life’s darkest hour? Jesus told the disciples, “Sit here while I pray” (v.32). He said further, “WATCH and PRAY, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (v.38). In other words, “Watch Me. This is what you do. This is how you pray!” To watch means to keep alert or pay attention. They were told to PRAY – not for Him but for themselves. The act of praying itself delivers or saves us from temptation!

In life’s darkest moments and desperate hours, Jesus gives us these same instructions. He invited the disciples – and He invites us as well – to go with Him into His place of private prayer and to hear firsthand the actual exchange between Father and Son. This is one place in the Gospels where we are allowed to hear Jesus’ words at such an intimate, private moment: “And He said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from me; nevertheless, not what I will , but what You will” (v.36).

Jesus offered a tremendous but seemingly simple insight into prayer: God is in charge! He prayed the Father’s Will. Whether human or divine, “will” means more than something which someone wants or desires; it means more than something which someone chooses because it is pleasing to him or her. The concept of will includes the idea of a purpose or a plan of action. A person’s will is like an Architect’s blueprint or a film director’s storyboard; it is a plan of action which leads to a desired finished product. Therefore, God’s Will is His eternal divine Purpose and Plan. As we learn from the prayer life of Jesus – and there is much to learn – we need to keep this overarching principle in mind: Prayer should always be about the Father’s Will, not our carnal wishes or selfish desires.