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| Jesus in Gethsemane/Etsy |
If Jesus Prayed, Why Don't We? Lessons from the Garden of Gethsemane
As Christians, we often talk about the importance of prayer in our lives. But if we're honest, many of us struggle to make prayer a priority. We get busy, we get distracted, and before we know it, days or even weeks have gone by without us taking the time to pray.
But Jesus didn't struggle with prayer. In fact, He prayed regularly, and His prayers were often intense and passionate. One of the most famous examples of Jesus' prayer life is His experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, as recorded in Matthew 26:36-46 and Luke 22:39-46.
The Story of Gethsemane
Jesus had just finished celebrating the Last Supper with His disciples, and He knew that His time on earth was coming to an end. He took Peter, James, and John with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He often went to pray.
As they arrived at the garden, Jesus began to feel overwhelmed with emotion. He knew that He was about to face the cross, and He was struggling to come to terms with the sacrifice He was about to make.
Jesus asked his disciples to wait while He went to pray. He fell to the ground, prayed intensely, and said, "Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26:39, NIV)
Lessons from Gethsemane
Jesus' experience in the Garden of Gethsemane teaches us several valuable lessons about prayer:
1. The importance of prayer in times of crisis: Jesus prayed intensely in the garden because he knew he was facing a critical moment in his life. We can learn from his example by making prayer a priority in our own times of crisis.
2. The need to surrender our will to God's will: Jesus prayed, "Yet not as I will, but as you will." This teaches us the importance of surrendering our own desires and plans to God's will.
3. The value of perseverance in prayer: Jesus prayed three times in the garden, each time returning to his disciples, who had fallen asleep. This teaches us the importance of persevering in prayer, even when we don't see immediate results.
4. The role of prayer in strengthening our faith: Jesus' prayer in the garden strengthened his faith and prepared him for the sacrifice he was about to make. Prayer can have the same effect on our own faith.
Why Christians Don't Pray
Despite the importance of prayer in the Christian life, many Christians struggle to make prayer a priority. Here are a few common reasons why:
1. Lack of time or priority: Many of us get busy with work, family, and other responsibilities, and prayer gets pushed to the side.
2. Feeling like prayer doesn't work: Some of us may feel like our prayers aren't being answered, so we give up praying altogether.
3. Not knowing how to pray: Prayer can feel intimidating, especially for those who are new to the Christian faith.
4. Feeling unworthy or unqualified to pray: Some of us may feel like we're not good enough or spiritual enough to pray effectively.
Conclusion
Jesus' experience in the Garden of Gethsemane teaches us that prayer is essential for our spiritual growth and development. Despite the challenges and obstacles we may face, we can learn from Jesus' example by making prayer a priority in our lives.
Will you join me in committing to make prayer a priority in our lives? Let's follow Jesus' example and make prayer a central part of our daily routine.
Please, feel to contact us if there're areas of need in your life, that requure prayer of agreement.
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