Day 39: Praying the Right Kind of Prayer

It is common thought that asking for “stuff” is the wrong kind of prayer. We don’t teach our kids to pray for new bicycles, game systems, or new cars. Instead, we teach them to say "thank you" for just about everything, to “pray for” specific people, and to ask for physical protection. Sometimes our prayers are very similar to those of our children, but what about Jesus? How did he pray? Let’s go to the garden on the Mount of Olives on that dark, late night before his arrest to listen and watch our Lord pray.

The Bible says that Jesus was sorrowful, troubled, and greatly distressed (Matthew 26:38, Mark 14:33). His pain is emanating from his soul, meaning that it came from deep within; literally the life inside of him was hurting. In this kind of spirit, Jesus walks a stone’s throw away from His closest friends, falls on His

knees, and prays. He asks His father to “let this cup pass from me.” He uses the term “Abba, Father”, implying that this is a very personal conversation between the Son of God and His Father. He recognizes that it is in the power of God to grant His request (Mark 14:36), yet He ends His prayer saying that His true desire is to do the will of the Father. After this first prayer, He is still troubled. He lashes out at His friends for falling asleep and not praying, before returning a second time to pray. During this second period of prayer, an angel visits Jesus, giving him strength (Luke 22:43), but His agony is just as great causing Him to literally sweat blood. Notice, though, that His prayer changes: “Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42). After checking on His friends again, He prays for a third time the same words He prayed the second time, and after this prayer we can notice a major difference in His demeanor. This time He is ready. His mind is set. He wakes His friends and immediately faces His captors and betrayer.

What happened when He was praying? It seems that the fervent, agonizing prayer helped Jesus align Himself, His desires, His wishes, His own will, with the will of the Father. At the beginning, He did not want to face the unfolding events, but by the end of His time in prayer He was ready and in full alignment with the will of God. It seems that the right kind of prayer helps us to give ourselves to God. It refines and works us until we are useful tools for Him to use in His ultimate, heavenly, and earthly wills. The right kind of prayer doesn’t blindly say “if it be your will.” Jesus knew what the Father’s will was that night, and most of the time we know what God wants from us, too. It just might take some agonizing prayer to bring us to that submissive point of obedience and sacrifice.

Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46

Written by Nick Fowler, Mt. Juliet Missionary to Belem, Brazil

# posted by JP @ 8:11 AM on Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Comments:

Nick, I love the way you brought out the difference in Jesus' prayers in the garden - a powerful and thought provoking point. We wish you, Amy and Jonah well. You are in our prayers and hearts! We love you, drs

# posted by

David R. Shannon : December 23, 2010 at 10:51 PM



Day 39: Praying the Right Kind of Prayer It is common thought that asking for “stuff” is the wrong kind of prayer. We don’t teach our kids to pray for new bicycles, game systems, or new cars. Instead, we teach them to say "thank you" for just about everything, to “pray for” specific people, and to ask for physical protection. Sometimes our prayers are very similar to those of our children, but what about Jesus? How did he pray? Let’s go to the garden on the Mount of Olives on that dark, late night before his arrest to listen and watch our Lord pray. The Bible says that Jesus was sorrowful, troubled, and greatly distressed (Matthew 26:38, Mark 14:33). His pain is emanating from his soul, meaning that it came from deep within; literally the life inside of him was hurting. In this kind of spirit, Jesus walks a stone’s throw away from His closest friends, falls on His knees, and prays. He asks His father to “let this cup pass from me.” He uses the term “Abba, Father”, implying that this is a very personal conversation between the Son of God and His Father. He recognizes that it is in the power of God to grant His request (Mark 14:36), yet He ends His prayer saying that His true desire is to do the will of the Father. After this first prayer, He is still troubled. He lashes out at His friends for falling asleep and not praying, before returning a second time to pray. During this second period of prayer, an angel visits Jesus, giving him strength (Luke 22:43), but His agony is just as great causing Him to literally sweat blood. Notice, though, that His prayer changes: “Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42). After checking on His friends again, He prays for a third time the same words He prayed the second time, and after this prayer we can notice a major difference in His demeanor. This time He is ready. His mind is set. He wakes His friends and immediately faces His captors and betrayer. What happened when He was praying? It seems that the fervent, agonizing prayer helped Jesus align Himself, His desires, His wishes, His own will, with the will of the Father. At the beginning, He did not want to face the unfolding events, but by the end of His time in prayer He was ready and in full alignment with the will of God. It seems that the right kind of prayer helps us to give ourselves to God. It refines and works us until we are useful tools for Him to use in His ultimate, heavenly, and earthly wills. The right kind of prayer doesn’t blindly say “if it be your will.” Jesus knew what the Father’s will was that night, and most of the time we know what God wants from us, too. It just might take some agonizing prayer to bring us to that submissive point of obedience and sacrifice. Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46 Written by Nick Fowler, Mt. Juliet Missionary to Belem, Brazil # posted by JP @ 8:11 AM on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 Comments: Nick, I love the way you brought out the difference in Jesus' prayers in the garden - a powerful and thought provoking point. We wish you, Amy and Jonah well. You are in our prayers and hearts! We love you, drs # posted by David R. Shannon : December 23, 2010 at 10:51 PM Post a Comment << Home	Mt. Juliet Church of Christ 1940 N. Mt. Juliet Road P.O.Box 248 Mt.Juliet, TN 37122-0248 (615)758-2274 Fax:615-754-2351 Email Worship Services: Sunday Early Worship: 8AM Sunday Bible Study: 9:15AM Sunday Late Worship: 10:15AM Night Worship: 6PM Wednesday Bible Study: 7PM Past Archives: November 2010 December 2010

Day 39: Praying the Right Kind of Prayer

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