I wish I could pray like Jesus
“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed.”
–Luke 22:41 (NIV)
I wish that I could be more like Jesus. Right before his betrayal by Judas, he did the very thing that we all should do in moments of crisis. He prayed. This is not me. Usually, moments of crisis are times I let instinct take over and operate out of my own minimal reserves of wisdom and strength. It often does not end well. Messiah I am not.
Instead, Jesus does the thing I do not. He pauses. He reaches out to God. He asks for support from his friends, even though they ended up falling asleep on him. He seeks direction and relief from his pain. Even though God did not take the cup agony away from him, he was strengthened to face challenges he had to bear.
A Good Friday prayer
Ever prayerful Christ, thank you for the example you provided. Thank you for demonstrating the power of prayer. Even as you faced your darkest hour, you paused to speak to the one who made us all. Encourage us to do the same thing. Help us to follow your guidance, not only on this Good Friday, but whenever we face pain, difficulty, and betrayal in our own lives. Amen.
