By Andrew Williams – October 3, 2022
Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples, Sit down here while I pray. Mark 14:32 AMPC
Good morning fellow disciples.
Do you fellowship with others, eat with them, and walk with them? Jesus had just done that with His disciples. Now they arrived at Gethsemane and Jesus said this to them: “Sit down here while I pray.”
I wonder, how many times had Jesus given them this instruction in the past, and how many times did His disciples sit, watch, and listen to Him as He prayed?
This would probably be the last time that they would be able to observe and share with Him in the sacred act of speaking to His father before His death.
For many of us this is what happens when we go to church or when we have our family devotions. Many of us sit while someone else prays. So, what are the things that you do while that other person is praying?
Do you listen attentively, strike up a conversation with someone else, fall asleep, play a game on your phone, start texting someone, pray along with the person, or do you do something else that takes your attention and focus off the prayer being offered?
Jesus could have gone off to pray by Himself, but He wanted His disciples with Him at this crucial juncture in His ministry. Many of us would like to pray by ourselves. Many of us enjoy the company while we pray, many of us are intimidated/distracted by others being with us, while many of us are encouraged by others being around us when we pray.
When we sit and listen to others while they pray, we also learn how to pray. When we sit and listen to others while they pray, we can ‘stand’ in agreement with them.
Prayer: Father God, help us to sit with others while they pray and help us to be an encouragement to them as they seek Your face. As we sit Lord, may we also draw closer to You in those moments. Amen.