[237 words]
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Mark 14:38).
In the midst of His own storm, our Savior prayed in the preparation He had made for Himself. He had brought three of his followers farther into the garden for the fellowship and company we all who are in the flesh crave. It is not good, after all, for man to be alone. But, that watchfulness was not to be a comfort to Him as the men fell asleep and had not spiritually prepared themselves, despite repeated warnings, to help Him in His need. His soul sorrowful to the point of death, Jesus then prays that He would not have to submit to His Father’s will but follow the will of the flesh, the image of man that He had taken on. Though He enjoyed great fellowship with His Father, a preparation that would too be removed from Him on the cross, the answer from His prayer was that He must submit. Even in the midst of this anguish, Jesus’ concern was for His followers as He returns to Peter and warns him to ‘Watch and pray.’ Even despite our spiritual preparation, we cannot force God to let us our wills be done. The purpose of prayer, rather, is to help us submit.
Do you watch and pray?
Doug Kashorek
Plattsburgh church of Christ
Plattsburgh, NY