The night of Gethsemane offers a most revealing picture of Jesus’ heart. Jesus implored Peter, James, and John to keep watch and pray with Him. They fell asleep. He asked again. They fell asleep again. He came back to see them once more. They were embarrassed, but then just fell asleep once more.
There are few other instances, if any, where Jesus pressed for something with such repeated insistence. Perhaps if the disciples where able to keep watch with Jesus for even one hour, they would have felt the anguish, heard the wrestling, even see the angel come to sustain Him – and through it all, have the words from the Creator of the universe, “Your will be done,” be seared into their hearts. Perhaps with that, the disciples would have been imparted with the strength and authority founded on self-denial. Perhaps with that, they would have handled their disappointments and fears differently. Perhaps with that, Peter may not have wept when the rooster crowed.
The disciples’ spirit was willing, but their flesh was weak. This time around, we set our anticipation for MTC on the “repeated insistence” of Jesus. We set our expectation on God to bring the impartation of self-denial – from those still wrestling in their “Gethsemane,” and maybe crippling along with a divine limp. Our fervent prayer is that He will cover us in the grace to overcome the weaknesses of our flesh, and stand in watchful fellowship with our ministers…because our spirit is willing…
Blessings.