Second Week of Lent – Saturday
March 23, 2019
From Presbyterian Outlook Devotion
Luke 22:39-46
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
The disciples fell asleep when Jesus needed them most to stay awake. Their failure pains us because we realize that we, too, fall asleep when Jesus tells us to keep awake. We understand that we fail Jesus, but we take heart knowing that God never fails. Today, offer to God the deepest longings of your heart, your most profound hurts, failings and regrets. Know that God readily hears and responds.
Lord Jesus, we lament our failings, we beg forgiveness for the times we have let you down, fallen asleep, turned our back, neglected our responsibility to you. Trusting your grace we boldly pray to the one who neither sleeps nor slumbers, putting down our burdens of regret and guilt and asking for the transformation only you can give. Amen.
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