1. Jesus Prayed Three Times in Gethsemane

Matthew 26:36-46

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Jesus also came to the point of sorrow and that time was also the time when he actually needs comfort and support from his disciples by being with him. It’s not that he needs them but he wanted them to learn that in tough times, prayer becomes the most powerful weapon.

Reading this now makes me feel that Jesus is still interceding for us up to now. He can actually return now and rapture can actually take place these days for His children not to suffer. But God delays the rapture because He is seeing things higher than what we as human beings can actually perceive. God is actually saving the whole world — He is after saving our souls more than our mortal bodies.

Matthew 10:28

Do not be afraid of those who **** the body but cannot **** the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Yes, maybe the world is suffering too much. Not all can find time to worship God right now or see these things happening under the hands of God. There are people who need to work in order to survive each day but isn’t it still a blessing that we have the Lord until now and that we are confident that Jesus will be able to save us eternally.

We can see that in social media, there are too many news and even fake news to which at times, also put and trigger fear to others. But the great news is: Jesus is still here and still available to be called to. It is the greatest time to pray for the world and for the leaders who are above us.

2. Everything is Possible in God but We Are Still in the Waiting

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

When Jesus was praying, I see him kneeling for us and asking Father God to heal the world now but we have to understand as children of God (because of Jesus Christ), that the will of God is not what we ask Him to be His will. We can pray hard right now but the answer is still up to God. We are just to blessed to be heard by our Lord because He sees us in our bent knees.

Jesus was also the reflection of the world nowadays — those believers of God who believes that the will of God shall happen and if it’s His will today, this too shall pass.

3. What Are We Doing? Are we Still Asleep?

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.“Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed,“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them,“Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

COVID-19 as what Pastor said earlier, isn’t as powerful as we think of it. We are not being selfish here when we knew that many lives were taken by it but disciples of Jesus, wake up! It is the hour, it is the time that we should cooperate more with the Lord. While the world is shaking and while many trembles, let us be more awake and alert for at times like this, we need to be stronger in faith.

Our flesh may be weak and we can actually be affected by the disease or be affected by the news and entertain anxiety and fear but take heart, the Lord has already overcome the world! Let us not fall from the temptation of the enemy that starts in our minds.

2 Corinthians 10:5

5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

John 16:33

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

And even before this happened to us, we praise God that we have known Him before these things and He already revealed so much to us so that we’ll never rely on what the world says. Coz when we have the right foundation, we’ll never be easily shaken.

Matthew 10:27

What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.

THE LORD’S REBUKE

These past and recent days, the Lord rebuked me,

“Anong ginagawa mo, Anak?”

I was actually reminded as Jesus said this:

Luke 23:34

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

And it was as if when Jesus looks at the world now, he is seeing what he is expecting to see but he still knows that there is hope unto us all. And that in this season, many will be saved.

It was a direct rebuke from God, checking things that we do. Do we really know what we are doing? Are we doing the right things? Are we already awake or are we still enjoying sleeping?

Every time I remember these prayers of Jesus and how he prayed for us, I was in an instant self-assessment. I also believe that we, disciples of Jesus hear much these days about the Lord. We will know it by how we truly spend our days these days. God allowed it to remove all the things that keep us busy for us to see what we truly treasure. Remember that God is God. He loves you; so trust Him — trust Him like before coz He is the same yesterday, today and forever! Be a blessing to your home and pray for the world!