Today’s Devotion.
Topic: Go A Little Farther!
Text: Matthew 26: 39
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Amen.
One day, Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane. He knew the hour of His arrest, trial and crucifixion was near. But He also knew that not all His disciples could share in the burden of the moment, or even understand His pain. He therefore said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” (Matt 26: 36)
However, He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee (James and John) along with Him. They had been closest to Him and He had taught them many deep things that should let them understand and bear with His anguish. He said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Having said this, He Himself went a little farther and fell with His face to the ground and prayed. He returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” He asked Peter (because even among the selected three, there was a leader, and that was Peter). “Watch and pray”, Jesus warned; “so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
He then went away a second time and prayed. When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.”
Beloved, trials can be so heavy for one’s neck, that is why Bible admonishes that we pray for one another and bear with each other’s burdens. It is acceptable, therefore, to call on a few brethren to watch and intercede with you as you go through your storm. However, do not trust so much that they are spending sleepless nights just because of your burden — THEY MAY JUST BE SLEEPING!
BUT YOU, GO A LITTLE FARTHER AHEAD IN PRAYER. GO DEEPER THAN THEY MAY, HIT HARDER THAN THEY WOULD, GROW STRONGER THAN YOU WERE. For there’s always a place deeper in God to find, and prayer will take you there.
It’s a place where your burdens are carried on grace; a place where fear gives way to love; a place where you are made alert so that you do not fall into temptation; a place where it is all about God and His will being done in your life.
It does not matter how many times you may have prayed about the matter. Neither does it matter if your prayer partners have abandoned your request and are sleeping the night away. Like Jesus, you must keep going farther and deeper in prayer. Talk to God for yourself! TRAVAIL UNTIL YOU RECEIVE STRENGTH FROM ON HIGH! For they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They just run and never get weary. They walk and do not faint. They mount on wings like eagles and soar high above the schemes of the evil one.
Begin to pray therefore. Ask for the Spirit of prayer, intercession and supplication. Also, ask for the grace to be vigilant and spiritually alert. For the dark hour cometh, and we cannot trust even the few who are close to be in prayer with us as the magnitude of our burden demands.
Neither can we afford to be at the same level of prayer and deep devotion with them; their eyes may just be too heavy. We must go farther and deeper in prayer and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit until our spirits are aligned with the will of God — strengthened for exploits and for His glory.
Don’t forget that many around you are there for the crown, not your cross. Don’t depend on them too much. Go farther with your God. HE NEVER SLUMBERS NOR SLEEP. ALWAYS BY YOUR SIDE, EVEN TO THE END!
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