Then He said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." - Matthew 26:38
In this account, we see the humanness of Christ on full display: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane praying to the Father in His hour of greatest need. Scripture records that He was deeply sorrowful, to the point of death, and rightfully so; He was preparing to bear humanity's sin. Before Jesus prays, He asks His disciples to keep watch with Him. It is a relatively simple request, yet they could not.
Similarly, other matters often overtake our lives, and we don't exercise prayer because we're prone to fill quiet moments with lesser things. It always astounds me that Christ, who had no sin to confess, would sense His need for communion with the Father. If there had been anyone who could have discharged the duty of prayer, indeed, it would have been Christ. Yet, He prayed.
The Lord gave His disciples a charge to "watch and pray, lest they fall into temptation." When He returns, He discovers them fast asleep. Their love and concern for Him might have obliged them to be vigilant in prayer, but they could not watch for even one hour. And so, Christ gave them a gentle reproof, for as many as God loves, He corrects. "Could you not keep watch with me for one hour?" His words resonate within me. When I am tired from a long and challenging day, I remember the Lord's words. They motivate me to pray.
God has not changed; He still looks for those who will watch and pray. Throughout Scripture, we see many examples of God's people crying out to Him in their distress, and in His mercy, He responds to their desperate pleas. Who knows what troubles are averted and what comfort we receive when we pray? If Peter had prayed, he may have resisted the temptation to deny Christ. We may never know.
We can rest assured that oneness with the Father is ours when we pray. In this hallowed space, we gain strength, peace, and wisdom as our hearts commune with Him. Let us be faithful in prayer.
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