The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 22:39-46, “And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. When He arrived at the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’

41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,

42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.

44 And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.

45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow,

46 and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

If we read the Scriptures carefully, we will quickly learn that the disciples of Jesus were very much like we are today. Previously, in this chapter, the LORD and His disciples had shared in the Supper where He gave thanks to the Father, likening the bread to His Body and the wine to His Blood, saying “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” It was a solemn time, followed by prayer that they might “not enter into temptation.”

Leaving them to themselves, He then withdrew somewhat and began to pray, knowing that the time of His death was rapidly approaching. His prayer was so earnestly fervent that He sweat profusely, much like blood when excessive energy is expelled from the body. Yet, when He concluded His prayer, He found His disciples sleeping –sleeping from sorrow!

Have we not all experienced the same? Our concerns turn first to sorrow; then we seek sleep to cover and expel that sorrow –at least for a time. Yet, sleep does not erase sorrow completely; it simply seeks to cover it for a time; and when we awaken, the sorrow rushes again into our mind and we, in need of that sleep, simply mask it again.

Earnest prayer is the only answer, for it lays our difficulty squarely in the Hands of the LORD. “Thy will be done” is the resolution. We trust a lot of things to a lot of people every day–things of much less importance. Why not put everything into those Hands that were nailed to the Cross?

Heartily in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

We will never know that Christ is all we need,

Until He becomes all that we have. – Corrie ten Boom