Calling Out to God #19

6 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.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And 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.” 40 And 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.” 

Matthew is recalling for us this prayer event - or should we say - non-prayer event, on the part of the Apostles when they finished the Passover meal on the night He was betrayed.  Even the opening words are awkward here: Jesus went with them - not they went with Jesus.  It is almost like Matthew felt like an outsider - especially when Jesus took the key three disciples - Peter, James and John, with Him and left the others behind.  As Matthew looks on, either he can still hear Jesus, or the key three tell him later what He had said: He was overwhelmed by what was going on, lonely, distressed, experiencing temptation. Yet, He persisted in prayer, just as He had instructed these disciples to do many times.  He was given them, and giving us, that example one last time: Watch and pray. God is sufficient for any trial or temptation. You are not really an outsider if you are His follower; the Father hears, cares, and will answer.  Our flesh is weak, but His Spirit within us gives us the words, the willingness, and the "why" to call out to God.