THE LORD’S PRAYER IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

 

1. A prayer of faith

 

"Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee" (Mk 14:36).

 

How much faith is shown in this statement!

 

Prayer is the method whereby God's children ask God for power and for grace. Faith is the necessary condition for prayers to be heard by God and to be pleasing to Him. Thus, the Bible says, "And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him" (Heb 11:6). The Lord also taught us: ''Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and it will be yours" (Mk 11:24). The following are some examples: And a leper came to him beseeching' him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean" (these are words of complete faith) Jesus was moved and He stretched forth His hand to the leper and said, "I will, be clean" (Mk 1:40-42). Two blind men followed Jesus and called: "Have mercy on us, Son of David". Jesus entered the house and the blind men came to Him. Jesus said, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said, "Yes, Lord." So Jesus touched their eyes...

 

2. A prayer of obedience

 

"According to your faith, be it done unto you."

 

... and their eyes were opened (Mt 9:27-30). Thus, when we ask anything from God we must do it in faith, without any doubt. Because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the Wind. Such a man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord (Jas 1:6,7). "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Mt 26:39).

 

How obedient Jesus was! The Bible says, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1 Sam 15:22). When Jesus was in the flesh He also had His weaknesses. Thus, He said, "If it be possible, let this cup (burden of the cross) be passed from me." But in all things He obeyed the will of the Father, not daring to consider His own will of more important than the Father's.

 

''And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name" (Phil 2:8,9).

 

The Bible also says, "And this is the confidence which we have in Him that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us" (1 Jn 5:14). However, sometimes we cannot demand too much from God. As Paul himself testified, "And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me" (2 Cor 7:8). Only in this way can we become obedient children of God.

 

3. An earnest prayer

"And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground" (Lk 22:44).

 

How moving and how fervent this prayer is!

 

'Fervency' in prayer is an important condition for the prayer to be heard. Thus, the Lord taught us to ask directly with sincerity, and importunity (Lk 11:5-13). Elijah was of the same nature as us. He prayed earnestly for rain to stop and the rain did not fall upon the earth for 3 years and 6 months. He prayed again, and the heavens poured down rain and the earth brought forth her fruit (Jas 5:17,18). The blind Bartimaeus was healed because of his earnest prayer.

 

The Bible has recorded that:

"And they came to Jericho; and as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more,'' Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; rise, he is calling you." And throwing off his mantle he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Master, let me receive my sight." And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way" (Mk 10:46-52).

 

The King of Judah, Hezekiah, was sick and was dying when Hezekiah learned from the prophet Isaiah that he would soon die, he turned his face towards the wall, and wept bitterly and prayed to the Lord. God heard his prayer and prolonged his life for fifteen more years. God said, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears" (Is 38:1-5). This is the effect of Hezekiah's prayer.

 

The Bible says, "In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard for His godly fear (Heb 5:7). This is an example of an earnest prayer which the Lord has left behind for us to follow.

 

4. A persistent prayer

 

"He prayed for the third time, saying the same words" (Mt 26:44).

This shows His persistency in prayers.

 

The Bible often exhorts us to be persistent in prayer (cf: Rom 12:12; Col 4:2; Acts 1:14). This is the key to the fulfillment of prayers. The Canaanite woman pleaded earnestly with the Lord to heal her sick daughter. Although her prayers were not answered immediately she was not disheartened. The Lord finally had mercy on her and cured her daughter's illness (Mt 15 :22-28). Prophet Elijah prayed earnestly to the Lord to pour rain upon the earth. Only after praying for seven times was his prayers answered (1 Kings 18:42-45). These are all good examples of persistent prayers.

 

Jesus spoke of a parable desiring that men shall pray often and never be disheartened. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him saying, 'Vindicate me against my adversary.' For a while he refused; but afterwards he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.' And the Lord said, ''Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he finds faith on earth?" (Lk 18:1-8). Persistent and earnest supplications shall eventually reach God's ears.

 

His prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane are good examples which our Lord Jesus has left behind for us. May all believers follow the Lord's prayers and may God hear our prayers of faith, obedience, earnestness and persistency. "Have no anxiety about anything; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:6-7). Let us all be mutually exhorted by the above.