Mark 14:32-42
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
Hanging in the head of Jesus was his preeminent death. He needed to pray to the Father as He enters into his destiny of dying for his church. He calls his brothers- the disciples and he began to be in deep distress and troubled. He was slowly dying…. All he requested was for his disciples was to stay with him and keep watch.
Do I have brothers whom I can call onto to be with me in my dark moments. Though his disciples in this story fell asleep, it’s the thought og knowing there are some people who can be with me in the dark times brings me reassurance of God’s grace.
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
The prayer Jesus uttered here showed so much vulnerability and trust. Vulnerable to a point where he was wrestling whether to let God the Father take this torture of death away from Him yet at the same time knowing that the Father’s way to redeem men is by sacrificing His son on the cross. He knew what needed to be done, though Jesus did not like the painful process, yet He trusted God’s plan.
And the pain was not the physical torture He would experience from the hands of the Roman soldiers but when He takes the sins of the world, the separation He would experience from the Father was far more unbearable for Jesus.
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.41 Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Jesus returns and sees the disciples sleeping. He knew for this battle, He had to do it alone. As much as friendship and discipleship are great, some things that God has called you to do, requires your commitment and your own faith. The disciples succumb to the physical fatigue and could no longer stay awake to pray. Jesus then went the third time to wake them up and invited them to join Him as he was about to be betrayed by one of them.