ESOCS Devotional 29 October 2022
TEXT: MARK 14:32-52
MEMORY VERSE: Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples, Sit down here while I pray. And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be struck with terror and amazement and deeply troubled and depressed Mark 14: 32-33.
0 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted lace ”
On the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus went with Peter, James and John to Gethsemane to pray, and He was deeply distressed and troubled. He said to them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death; tarry ye here and watch.” We see clearly here the humanity of Christ. For He that taught boldly in the temple, performing great signs and wonders, who raised the dead and walked on the sea, the all-powerful Jesus, declared to be the Son of God was in anguish. His knowledge about what was to befall Him, the full weight of what He was about to carry, tormented Him and He was overwhelmed with sorrow. He needed the support and companionship of His closest disciples. He needed them to join faith with Him in prayers, but they were too tired and dozed off. However, He tarried in the presence of God and prayed all night.
The Christian race, though a great life with wonderful experiences, is not all “bread and butter”. This is even truer in the ministry. There will be times of great storm when the boat threatens to capsize. There will be times in spite of who you are in the Lord and how far you have gone with Him when your humanity will show. Christianity requires great sacrifices if you are to complete the race and fulfill your mission successfully. Sometimes what you face may be quite overwhelming. You may reach a place or a point where you are weary and tired, afraid and discouraged and very lonely. This is not strange. If Jesus’s humanity showed, yours will definitely show.
We need to learn from Christ, the willing submission to the will of God, even when it will cost us much. Christ was troubled, but in His distress remained constant in His faithfulness to God and submission to His will. He did not deviate from the purpose for which He came to the world for one moment, in the pressure that was on Him. After making His supplications, He said, “Yet, not what I will but what you will. When it was time, He faced His accusers; gladly carried His cross, went victoriously to Calvary, and died for us all. If He did not, no one would have been saved.
Christians need to be courageous in the race. Giving up in the face of challenges would stop you from achieving God’s purpose for you. We need to support one another and be relentless in prayer. Christ did it, you can do it too. You are on the winning side.
CHALLENGES
- Think of anytime you have had challenges in the Faith and see in the light of Jesus’s passion at Gethsemane how you handled it.
- Why do you think some Christians give up in the face of great challenges?
PRAYERS
- Our heavenly Father, we confess to you our weaknesses. Help us to stand firmly in you and remain faithful in our calling. Give us the grace to overcome any temptation that may come our way. Amen.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
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ESOCS Devotional 29 October 2022
