19089115 iZRBx-MReturning the third time, he said to them,
"Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough!
Mark 14:41

"Enough!" This single, solitary word from the Master must have cut to the hearts and souls of his three closest companions! Jesus and his disciples had finished celebrating the Passover Meal—the Last Supper, the final meal they would share together before Jesus' crucifixion, death, and burial. During the meal, Jesus gave his followers a new commandment, a mandate to love one another as he had loved them. This is where our term "Maundy Thursday" comes from. After supper, Jesus invited Peter, James, and John to share a sacred moment with him—to pray with him as he prayed in his hour of weakness—but they failed him. This time not even Peter, a man who always had something to say, had an answer for Jesus.

Of course, Jesus forgave their failure, for it is God's nature to forgive. But at that moment in time, the disciples had slept instead of staying alert and supporting Jesus in prayer. That unique opportunity to pray with Jesus in his darkest hour was forever lost. On that night, when Jesus' soul was in agony and distress, it was the angels who comforted him, not his three closest disciples. After Jesus' death and resurrection, these three men went on to become diligent in prayer—but the memory of that night when they failed their Lord would remain with them for the rest of their earthly lives. Rather than watching and waiting and praying with Jesus as he prepared for the Cross, the disciples, who hours earlier had pledged allegiance to their Master, gave into human fatigue and slept!

Like the disciples, you and I receive unique opportunities to pray with our Lord and Master—specific times when Jesus asks each of us to watch and wait and pray with him as he intercedes for a situation in the life of a friend, a family member, or a coworker. What a privilege and honor it is that Jesus asks us to join him in this high priestly work called prayer. Yet, like the disciples of old, if we are preoccupied with our own needs, or if we are fatigued from keeping long hours rather than preparing ourselves for the ministry of prayer, we will miss the blessing of praying with our Lord!

Yes, God is gracious. He always forgives our failings and shortcomings. He knows we are human; he knows we are all made from the dust of the earth. And not only does God forgive us, but in his compassion and love, our Father also provides us with opportunities to join him in his prayer-work. In his divine providence, our Master can even use our human failings to bring about good. However, that does not change the fact that it is critical that we respond in obedience to every prompting from God when he calls us to prayer. God does not need our obedience, for he has legions of angels prepared to do his bidding when we fail him. The loss is ours when we miss what God wants to do in our lives because we are not responsive to the still, small voice that calls us to watch and wait and pray.

Today is the day that Jesus is asking all of us to pray with him for just one hour. Our spirit may be willing, but our flesh is weak. Will we honor our Master's request or will we, like the disciples in the garden, hear the stinging word "Enough!" from Jesus? On this Maundy Thursday, the choice is ours to make!

We must move from asking God to take care of the things
that are breaking our hearts,
to praying about the things
that are breaking his heart.
~~Margaret Gibb

Winning Words: the Word of God to encourage, strengthen,
comfort, assure, and give hope to the people of God.

An archive of past winning words is available on my website: www.mywinningwords.org

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

  • Jesus be the centre

    Center is a song that speaks of the essence of our life in Christ, and echoes the words the Christ Read More
  • I Lift My Hands

    A powerful hymn of adoration and praise Arkansas Gospel Mass Choir. This succinctly captures the joy of knowing our savior. Read More
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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
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