Daily Devotions
Mark
Acts 3:18 "But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled." Acts 3:18"
Day 307 – Mark 14
“But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.” Acts 3:18
PRACTISING WHAT WAS PREACHED
It was the Lord Jesus who taught His disciples how to pray. The Master-Teacher would now have to practise what He had preached.
1. Our Father in heaven (Cf. Matthew 6:9)
It was Jesus who taught His disciples how to always approach God confidently as “Father”. Not only did Jesus practise calling God as “Father” He added another dimension. God was “Abba”. This word represented the most affectionate and intimate term that a child would use to address a beloved parent. Jesus never lost that sense of intimacy with His Father at any time, not even in times of great distress.
In the intimacy of this glorious relationship with His Father, Jesus was able to speak openly what He felt (as one who had donned flesh and blood).
a) Addressing the issue of the hour of His death.
b) Addressing the cup that His Father had given to Him.
The closeness of relationship sustained allowed Jesus to bring up these two related matters to the Father. However, at no time did Jesus intimate that He was afraid, or that He was showing signs of doubt.
2. Your will be done (Cf. Matthew 6:10)
Jesus had taught His disciples to pray that God’s will may be done. He now practised most carefully what He had carefully taught. Prayer was never about bending God’s will to our own will. Prayer is always that special place where we forsake our own human will, and instead embrace God’s will. This would involve a process- of praying, of ascertaining through clarification, and finally full and complete acceptance.
ASLEEP ON A WATCH
Prayer for Jesus was never a mere outpouring of the heart! He allowed for time for the Father to respond! He also allowed for time for Himself to ponder further what He had uttered as a prayer to His Father. In the meantime, He checked up on His disciples.
“Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to 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 14:37-38
The spirit wanted to watch with Jesus! But the flesh was so tired that it overcame the disciples. Shamefully, they had failed their Master! And they had just spoken with such bravado, about dying with Him (Cf. Mark 14:31). The eternal Teacher that Jesus was caused Him to teach yet another vital lesson “Watch and pray, lest…!”