Have you ever been in a really difficult situation, and worse, you were there alone?
The day after I was diagnosed with cancer, I awoke, wondering what I was going to do with myself all that day.
At nine that morning, the doorbell rang. A neighbor who lived down the street, and attended our church, dropped by with her contact information on a card. Five minutes later, the doorbell rang again. I opened to a new friend I was just getting to know. She too, had read the church email (the power of the internet!) and there she was, with three children in tow, here to help me laugh and keep me positive, and above all, keep me company.
Over the following months and years, I would often recount that day to my dear friend. She always said it was nothing, but I knew better! Her presence that day was the best gift, the greatest comfort, I could possible have had from another human.
There are times when we need encouragement from each other. Like the little boy who called his mother into his room one night, saying he was scared. She told him “Son, you do not need to be afraid: Jesus is with you!”
His reply, “Mom, I know, but I need someone with skin on!”
At times, don’t we all?
In Mark 14: 32-41, we find Jesus in need of human encouragement.
“They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John along with him and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
Going a little further he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him, “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet, not what I will, but what you will.”
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the body is weak.”
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look! The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go, here comes my betrayer!”
When Jesus says his ‘soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death’ and then asks the disciples to ‘stay here and keep watch’, he is asking them for their physical presence, for their encouragement. Jesus needed them. He needed their presence. He was not asking for great words of wisdom, sometimes words are not necessary! He needed the encouragement only his dear friends could provide.
In this passage, Jesus is demonstrating his humanity. He is also showing us that we need each other.
Sometimes, someone may ask to spend time with us, and it may not easily fit into our schedules. What he may really desire is to spend time in our presence, to not be alone.
Jesus knew what was coming. His disciples had yet to connect the dots, and they were bone tired. We have all been there. You are up so many hours, and your eyes just can not stay open any longer. The human body can only go so long without rest. Humanity took over, and they fell asleep.
I would imagine after the crucifixion, those disciples replayed the events of those days. They probably relived the conversation in the garden many, many times. Each probably felt a deep sorrow at the inability to stay awake that night.
We need to really listen to what others are asking of us. Sometimes, (many times in our culture!) people do not ask for what they really want. They try to water down their vocalized needs. There is something about being straight forward which makes us uncomfortably vulnerable. So we often will not and do not do it.
We need to:
1) Try to be sensitive to what others are asking. We need to pray that God will show us what He has for us each day. His list might include spending a little time encouraging someone else.
2) Be honest with ourselves, and each other. When we need a little encouragement, and a little prayer support, we need to simply ask. We should not feel shy about asking a brother or sister in the faith for spiritual support.
Reflections:
1) How can I encourage others?
2) How can I be more honest with myself and with others, when I need encouragement?
Please return Monday, February 13, Lord willing, for the next post.