Scripture: Mark 14: 32-42
They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, "I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake." And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, "Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want." He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. He came a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand."
Reflection Questions:
Describe how you experience waiting? Have you ever been in anguish while you waited for an answer to prayer? How do you keep awake and alert as you wait for God?
Five-minute Story:
When we left Indian Gardens, it was about 1:00 p.m. The sun was still high in the sky, and it beat down without mercy. At the oasis, I dunked my leather outback hat in the stream and filled it up with water. Putting it back on my head, I allowed the cooling liquid to pour down my clothes and soak in. A half-hour later, back on the trail, the water had all but evaporated. The leather was still damp, but it was drying quickly.
Hours before, the canyon itself shaded the same trail as the sun was lower in the sky. With the sun above, the shade was limited to the sporadic spaces under the scrubby vegetation. The protection of sunscreen, long sleeved hiking shirts, and wide-brimmed hats could not stop the pressing heat upon our bodies. With each press, the line separating us from dehydration got thinner.
Healthy people have been known to succumb to dehydration and lose their lives in the canyon. In fact, the warning posters atop at the Rim all show young, vibrant people. Even marathon runners have died at the Grand Canyon because they lost too much water from their bodies.
We began to experience some of the warning signs of dehydration - headache and dizziness. It was time to stop and find some shade. Under a low tree, we found a place to rest. It wasn’t an oasis by any means. But being out of the sun, we were able to conserve valuable fluids from our canteen. We ate salty snacks to replenish the minerals lost in our sweat. With grateful hearts, we delighted in the gift of shade that a few low trees mercifully shared with us.
Life is fragile. A balancing act. Most of the time we are not aware of our vulnerability. Heat. Illness. Storms. Challenges. All these things can remind us of our imperfections, limitations, and weaknesses. Adverse situations can be valuable teachers if we but pay attention to the wisdom that they offer. They illustrate that we are not unstoppable, superhuman, and able through sheer willpower to conquer all. They hold up a light to the darkness of our denial.
From the story of Eden’s garden, we human have denied our created-ness. Instead of delighting in being made in the image of God, we falsely seek to be a god. We claim control and dominate with every ounce of our strength. Our blasphemy drives us from being in a right relationship with God and with others.
Our culture doesn’t help matters. Consumerist messages continuously bombard us that promise us that we can be godly in our looks, our personalities, our pleasures, and our bodies. If we just buy the right products, rub the right oils, shake the rattle in just the right way - we can summon the proper spirits that will guide our destiny to the right place. Longer, more prosperous, greater fulfilling lives are within our grasp if we just make it so.
Don’t misunderstand; it is essential for us to take responsibility for good living. Discipleship - following Jesus - has an active component that invites our response. We can make choices that will have both positive and negative effects on our health, life, relationships, and the world. It is true.
Its also true that we are finite creatures with imperfections and limitations that no amount of effort, products, gold, or rituals can make go away. Acceptance of our human nature is key to a healthy spirituality. Jesus invites us into a balanced relationship between Creator and created. Recognition of our vulnerability - the truth that we are not God - is critical.
When the path gets rocky, instead of denying imperfections and limitations - which move away from God and seek self-created solutions, accepting vulnerability moves towards our Creator. It makes us stop along the trail and receive the gift of shade as a blessing. We wait and yearn for the healing and restoration that comes from above and beyond us. We sit and lift our eyes to the hills, whence comes our help? “Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth… The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night (Psalm 121: 2, 5-6).”