Get. Up. And. Pray.

39 He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not come into the time of trial." 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done." 43 [Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.] 45 When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, 46 and he said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial." (Luke 22)

There is a temptation or trial that each Christian faces every moment of every single day. It is not lust, fornication, drug abuse, or any other obvious ones. The temptation we all face is whether we will choose the will of God or some other will. Often times its subtle, disguised, minimal to the point of insignificance, yet a diversion is a diversion.

Jesus faced such a temptation while praying in the garden of Gethsemane.

"Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done."

He did not particularly want to bring about redemption by way of the cross. Who would want to be punched in the face, spit upon, skin torn to shreds, friends abandon him, skin pierced, mocked, ridiculed, crucified? Moreover, who would want the wrath of God poured on them!?

FATHER, IF YOU ARE WILLING, REMOVE THIS CUP FROM ME!

In following Christ our will, our desires, our plans, will always arise. We will want to do what he wants, but we will desire another method, a method that will usually be void of suffering. But if we are disciples after we pray for a new method, after presenting our plan to God, we must say, "Yet, not my will but yours be done."

In this passage Jesus was strengthened after resigning himself to the will of God; we, like Jesus, will be strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit. God will not require obedience without first empowering us to obey. He doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called. So be encouraged.

It's interesting how the doctor shapes this passage. It begins with the disciples following Jesus, but their following ends when prayer begins. Jesus' words to them were, "Pray that you may not come into the time of trial." Instead of praying they slept.

Luke says they slept because of grief, but that's no excuse. They have been with Jesus for approximately 3 years now. They've received the best seminary education from the best teacher. They've worked miracles, seen the dead raised, BEEN WITH JESUS! But still we find them asleep.

Allow me to make a hermeneutic comparison for a moment. Doesn't it seem to you that the disciples behavior, at this moment, is comparative to American Christianity, by and large? Don't we receive some of the best training, arguably? Don't we have a wealth of resources at our disposal? Do we not have opportunities to know Christ on every street corner?

If this is true why are we snoozing? With all the knowledge we have, all the theologians, all the churches and seminaries, why is the American church seemingly asleep? Why aren't we awake and thriving in our service for Christ?

Well whatever the reason for the slumber the answer remains the same, "Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial." Get up and pray that you will remain in the will of God. Get up and pray that your own will won't come in the place of God's will. Get up and pray so that God will strengthen you to obey. Get up and pray. Get up and pray. Get. Up. And. Pray.