Dear friends,
Prayer is part of our Christian life. It is through prayer that we converse with God.
One of the must-see sites in Jerusalem is the Garden of Gethsemane. After seeing the panoramic view of Jerusalem on top of the Mt. of Olives, you will go down via the Palm Sunday road, and then you will arrive at the garden where Jesus prayed on the night that He was betrayed, and arrested. We stayed at this place and said our prayers also.
What can learn from this episode of the life of Jesus?
First, we have to establish a prayer time. In the Gospels, Jesus would pray early in the morning (Mark 1:35). Luke 5:16 also tells us that Jesus would oftentimes go to secluded areas to pray be it in the mountainside, the seaside or in the garden. This tells us that we can choose anytime, and anywhere to pray.
Second, we can share our prayer. The event in which Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane was recorded by Matthew (26:36ff), Mark (14:32 ff) and Luke (22:40ff). But it is very interesting to note that John was able to record Jesus’ whole prayer in John 17. The three Gospel writers also recorded it but only the famous statement “not my will but Thy will be done.”
Why were they able to record it if they were sleeping, and a stone’s throw away from Him? The only logical explanation is that Jesus shared His prayer with them. This sharing was not recorded. When has Jesus done this? It was most probably after His resurrection. He was with them for 40 days.
Let us write our prayers. We can share them also so that others who have the same experience as ours can also read it and be inspired by it. The Bible is full of prayers of people. They recorded their prayers, and passed it on to us.
Let us continue to pray! Let us be assured that God hears us!
Rev. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
#SeedsOfFaith
November 18, 2019