Pray Hard

PRAY: Heavenly Father, I'm so grateful that You are willing to accept me as your child. How wonderful to know that the all-powerful Creator of the universe knows and cares about me.

READ: Mark 14:32-42

REFLECT: Persecuted Christians around the world live in fear of a knock on the door in the middle of the night. Perhaps the most anxious moments we'll ever face are those when we know something awful is about to happen, but all we can do is wait. That's exactly how Jesus feels in Mark 14. He was "deeply distressed and troubled ... overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (vv. 33-34) as He waits for His accusers to show up and arrest Him. I've always felt this is the most intense prayer Jesus ever prayed.

So how did Jesus pray when He was under such pressure? The answer is packed into a single verse (v. 36). He starts by simply calling out to His Father. The word Abba literally means "daddy." When our grandson, Noah, used to wake up in the middle of the night, he'd call out in his dark room. Even though he was scared, he knew his parents were nearby. That's how Jesus starts this prayer.

Next, Jesus affirms what He knows to be true: all things are possible for God. It brings assurance to remember that we pray to a God who is all powerful. Jesus then makes His request; "take this cup from Me," in other words, "if there's another way to accomplish your plan of salvation without sacrificing Me, please do it!" There's nothing wrong with being honest with God; He welcomes that. It's hypocrisy that angers Him. Jesus concludes by accepting His Father's will, whatever that may be. It was the same principle Jesus included earlier in His model prayer (Matthew 6:10).

But the intensity of Jesus' prayer is contrasted by the lethargy of the disciples' prayer (Mark 14:37-42). I wonder if Jesus was tempted to give Peter a kick. It's interesting that Jesus rebuked Peter with his old name, Simon (v. 37). The leading disciple had gone back to his old habits. But before we condemn the snoozy prayer habits of the disciples, we should admit there are times when our prayers are less than intense. There's a Christian t-shirt showing a man wearing a pair of jeans with holes in both knees. The headline simply says, "Pray hard." That's exactly what Jesus did in Gethsemane.

APPLY: Can you think of a time when you were under intense pressure? What happened to your prayer life during that time?

PRAY: Lord, you know I face situations that overwhelm me at times. But no matter what happens, my heart's cry is this: Not what I will, but what You will.

Discussion Questions for "The Prayers of Jesus"

1. How did you first learn about prayer? Over the years, who have been your "prayer mentors," and what have they taught you?
2. How do you pray today? When do you feel that your prayers are the most meaningful and effective? Why?
3. For you, what are the most challenging or meaningful parts of the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1-13)? Why?
4. When you pray, do you ever experience a sense of God's presence? How does this happen?
5. Have you ever prayed for God's help in a time when you were under great pressure? What happened? How has that experience changed your view of prayers? Of God?
6. What are the biggest obstacles you face to praying? How can you overcome these?
7. How could you develop a prayer lifestyle? What are some new and creative ways you could make prayer a more significant part of your daily life?

The Essential Jesus (Part 15): The Hard Sayings of Jesus

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