7 Portraits in Prayer, Day 6: Evening

 Week 1, Power to Pray, Day 6: A Parallel in Prayer Partners

(Read Mark 14:32–42, Luke 22:31–32, John 12:27)

 

Prayer does not change the heart of God, it changes us. God does not need our prayers, but we need to pray to align our will and our environment to the will of God.

After finding his intercessors asleep, Jesus challenged them, particularly Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Mark’s gospel states that Jesus called Peter “Simon”. Earlier that night, Jesus called him “Simon” twice, a two-fold reminder that in his flesh, Simon was a common man with a common name, prone to shifting and petitioned by Satan to be sifted like wheat. “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren,” (Luke 22:31–32).

Jesus told Simon that He had prayed for his faith not to fail, for his future recovery from failure, and for him to fortify his fellow believers. Failures will inevitably come, but faith in Christ prevents failures from being final. Prayer partners strengthen faith.

In the garden, Jesus said prayer would keep them from temptations. Though weak in the flesh, our spiritual battle of prayer strengthens our feeble flesh. Unfortunately, the disciples returned to their position, not in prayer, but in slumber.

Meanwhile, Jesus returned to His own battle. Unlike Joshua’s battle, where the blood of the Amalekites fell, Jesus sweated His own blood as He prayed, “Abba Father, take this cup away from Me.”

His blood, untainted by sin, stained the stone where He knelt, showing the frailty of the clothing of humanity which He donned more than thirty years earlier and an eternity earlier in the mind of His Father.

“What shall I say?” He had asked, “‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour,” (John 12:27).

His breath heaved from him. This anxiety would have killed any other man. The Creator of everything who had never needed anything, now needed help. He needed His partners, His intercessors. His eyes did not need to see his three companions; the crisp night air undoubtedly echoed their labored snores.

Again, He prayed, “Not My will, but Thine be done.”

Pray this prayer to God: “Thank you, Lord Jesus, for promising to pray for weak Simon Peter. Like he, I too am ‘weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care.’ In Your arms, take and shield me, for I will find a solace there. ‘What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Amen.”

Click here for Day 7, Morning.