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Today is the 27th day of Lent, a 40 day season of spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal.  During these 40 days we’ll explore the prayer life of Jesus, walking chronologically through every mention of Jesus’ prayer life and prayers in the Gospels.

Here is today’s prayer event:  36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (Matt. 26:36-46 ESV)

Notice the first part of this prayer: “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…”  These words flow from a heart that is “sorrowful and troubled” and a soul that is “very sorrowful, even to death.”  Three times, Luke tells us, this sorrowful and troubled Jesus prayed “the same words.”

“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…”

“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…”

“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…”

This is a lament.  A complaint.  Jesus is despondent.  He deeply dislikes his circumstances and desperately begs God to change them.  Jesus does not keep his “happy face” on.  He does not piously pretend nothing is wrong.  Instead, he is honest with the Father about his feelings and frustrations.  He puts the sorrow and trouble into words and groans them out to the Father.

What frustrations have you been holding back?  What despair has gone unspoken to God?  What laments have you not lamented to the Father?  Take some time today and be honest and transparent with God.  Put your own sorrow and trouble into words and pray them out loud.  This will be one of the first steps toward dealing successfully with those circumstances.

SHARE WITH THE READERS BELOW: DO YOU PRAY IN THIS WAY OFTEN?  WHY?  WHY NOT?

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Today is the 26th day of Lent, a 40 day season of spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal.  During these 40 days we’ll explore the prayer life of Jesus, walking chronologically through every mention of Jesus’ prayer life and prayers in the Gospels.

Here is today’s prayer event:  24Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24 ESV)

Whereas much of John 17 has focused on the near-future, this final part of Jesus’ prayer seems to focus on the distant-future.  Jesus prays for our heavenly reunion–that we who follow him might be with him in the place where he has spent an eternity being loved. 

“Father, bring them safely home.”  “Father, lead them back to me.”  “Father, let them live in this place of love.”

Jesus is rooting for me to make it to heaven.  He’s not hoping I’ll slip up.  He’s not holding his breath, just waiting to see me fail.  He’s not shaking his head every time I fall, saying, “He’s never going to make it.”  No, Jesus is spending some of his final breath praying for me and you to make it to heaven.  Jesus is rooting for us.  Jesus is pulling for us.  “Father, whatever you do, please make sure they wind up right here with me.”

Do you tend to imagine Jesus praying for you or against you?  Why?

Close your eyes and imagine Jesus praying (put your name in the blank), “Father, I’m rooting for _______.  I’m pulling for _________.  I want nothing more than for ________ to be with me.  Please make sure _________ makes it to heaven.”

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Today is the 25th day of Lent, a 40 day season of spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal.  During these 40 days we’ll explore the prayer life of Jesus, walking chronologically through every mention of Jesus’ prayer life and prayers in the Gospels.

Here is today’s prayer event: 20″I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20-21 ESV)

Jesus now turns his prayer thoughts from his immediate disciples to us–to all those who will believe in him through the word of the disciples.  Jesus prays for our unity.  Specifically, Andreas Kostenberger (ESV Study Bible) writes that Jesus is praying for us to have a “common mind and common purpose.”  Jesus is praying for our “togetherness in mission.” 

I’d put it this way: Community and Cause.  Cause: “that the world may believe…”  Community: “that they may all be one…”  Community is not an end in itself.  It it is a means to an end: the Cause.  As we engage in our Cause, we do so in Community.  Jesus prays that we will not pursue our Cause as individuals, solo, but as a family.

Yet not only do we purse Cause in Community, Community actually fulfills the Cause.  When the world sees true Community which overcomes what humans cannot–racism, sexism, ageism, etc.–it will conclude that this Community is inhuman–it must come from God.

If you attend a congregation regularly, do you pray regularly for that congregation?  If not, why not?  If you do, how often do you pray about that congregation’s community and cause and the link between the two?  Why?  Why not? 

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