Remember His Faithfulness

As I was reading through the gospels about the last week of Jesus’ life, I found myself struck by His words to His disciples as He was praying in the garden before His arrest…”Pray, that you may not enter into temptation.”  Then, He went off by Himself to pray and when He returned to where they were supposed to be praying, Luke says that “He found them sleeping from sorrow, and said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping?  Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.’” (Luke 22:40, 44-46)

I always read (or, I guess, skimmed) over this part of the Easter story thinking that the disciples were tired from such a long day.  Here Jesus goes, wanting to pray again.  (I know that I’m the only person in the world that misses out on prayer time, because I get busy, or fall asleep, or I’d rather do something else…like find out what’s going on on facebook…I know I ‘m the only Christian that’s majorly flawed in this area.)

But, this time, as I read the story again, I found it very interesting that Jesus found His disciples sleeping from sorrow…not from weariness or fatigue…but, from sorrow. 

As I started to think about it, I began to imagine how deeply grieved the disciples must have become.  Jesus had just told them of His impending death.  They had been following Him for quite a while, and developed deeply personal relationships with Him.  Maybe they were questioning whether or not they had really been following the Messiah, or if it had all been in their heads…even though they had witnessed Him healing the sick, feeding the multitudes, casting out demons, raising the dead.  I’m sure they were full of lots of questions at this moment.

Then, I began to think about how often I have found myself in that same position.  Maybe I’m hopeful that I’m about to enter a new season that I’ve believed for, only to figure out that I’m still in the season of waiting, and the future begins to look dim to me.  My hopes are dashed and I temporarily forget about how faithful God has been to me in the past (all of the times that He has provided for me, spoken to me, healed my emotional pain, etc.).  So, I fall asleep in my faith.  I begin to look at what I’ve not received, instead of remembering all of the things that I have received from Jesus.  This, then, leads into temptation to go about things my own way.

Jesus, I’m quite sure, was not at all surprised to find them sleeping. But He gave them a solution, along with a reminder of what He had recently said to them.  “Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  Or…in my human interpretation… “I see your sorrow and disappointment.  Pray and listen for His direction, so that the enemy does not lead you into sin.”

I’m so thankful that Jesus is nothing like us.  We’re so quick to get angry, when we’ve done so much for someone and they act like it’s nothing. 

It amazes me that Jesus remains so faithful to us, even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13).  He proves Himself to us over and over again.  Why?  Because He loves us with a love that we cannot possibly grasp (1 Corinthians 13).

Jesus cares about every single thing that burdens us.  In fact, we’re told in 1 Peter 5:6-8 to humble ourselves before God and cast our cares on Him, because He cares for us.  We’re warned that the devil is prowling about, like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Thankfully, Jesus was not just arrested and crucified.  He rose from the dead, just as He had promised (much to His disciples astonishment) and is ALIVE today!  So, no matter how loud the enemy may be, with his accusations of what Jesus hasn’t done for you yet…let Jesus’ amazing love and faithfulness be louder. When you find yourself in a place of discouragement, remember all that He has done for you (Psalm 103:1-5).  You can’t help rejoicing, as you remember.