PRAY!

Even though Easter is still a few weeks away, we visit the scripture where Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane and He is praying to the Father to take away the burden that is about to befall Him. But that is not the passage we will be looking at on Sunday. It comes just before and just after that incident.

On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:40 NIV

Jesus did not tell them this once but, in fact, twice. He told them before He went to pray to the Father and once again just before He was arrested. Jesus had already forewarned Peter that He was praying for Peter that his faith would not fail (vs 31) and He twice again told them to gather strength in prayer and yet they slept.

If I were to tell you not once but three times that a great catastrophe was about to change your life forever and that you could avoid the worst of the fallout by simply talking to the Master, would you do it? If I told you this and you did follow the advice, would you do it with your whole heart or would there be a bit of skepticism? Here is the big question; if you did not take the time out of your hectic schedule to pray with such fervour that your sweat poured out upon the ground much like drops of blood, would you be surprised when the hour of darkness came upon the land; upon your own life?

Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.” Luke 22:53 NIV

We are in a time of great turmoil and chaos but the devil has carefully disguised it as a normal state of affairs and God calls us still to a time of prayer, begs us to pray so that we will not fall under the satan’s spell. The darkness reigns but in Him the Light shines bright and the darkness flees. Oh nation of faith, call out to the Lord of lords and remain vigilant.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 NIV

In the closing moments of His earthly life, Christ still made petition to the Father on our behalf. While we were still sinners, Jesus prayed for us. Let us be vigilant and pray for those who are stuck in that time of darkness.

Shalom

Pastor Todd