From A Directors Heart
Title: A Stone’s Throw Away
2/8/11 (Tuesday morning challenge to XMC)
Luke 22
In these Scriptures Jesus has been walking, teaching, and modeling true ministry and empowerment for three years with His disciples. These disciples were trained under God incarnate. They were the best of the best in their time.
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:39-46 (emphasis added)
Here, Jesus is preparing for the most difficult time of His life, knowing that death and torment is at His door; knowing that the most pivotal moment in ministry was about to be made, and twice Christ finds His disciples sleeping a stones throw away. They could probably have heard Him at such a short distance, crying out in prayer, but they were sleeping. They had the opportunity to physically see Christ ministered too by angels and instead they chose to sleep. Think about it. This is the reason Christ came to earth - the most important hours of his physical life! If there was ever a time the disciples should have been praying, it was in these hours.
When all hell literally is breaking forth the disciples slept instead of praying. Why is it so easy to pray when we are being spiritually fed and seeing God move, but find it so difficult to pray when we’re needed most? Why are you, Master’s Commission student, so content with showing “face” because you’re around Jesus, but never with Jesus? When the hour of truth came, Christ’s disciples fled, denied, and cursed him. These were the best of the best, raised up by God himself; and we somehow think we’re better?
I challenge you to press in! We have what the disciples didn’t: resurrection power! So don’t tell yourself that you can’t do it, don’t let fears and insecurities keep you at a distance. Press in, and go after God in the moment you’re needed the most! God forbid that we come all this way into a place of incredible anointing and see miracles all around us, only to be found sleeping a stone’s throw away when God needs us most!
