Thursday, 18 April Luke 22:39-65
Written by Dr Graham Leo. ©2019.
Following the fairly grim Passover meal that the disciples experienced that evening, with talk of betrayals and the coming death of Jesus, they were understandably stressed. Luke says that the reason they fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane while Jesus was praying, was that they were ‘exhausted from sorrow’.
This is a helpful inclusion. We might not have gathered, from the brief earlier description just how clearly they had grasped the seriousness of things. We might have assumed that the reported conversation of vv31-8 from yesterday’s reading took longer than the few moments it takes us to read it. In any event, by the time that they came to the place where Jesus stopped to pray, grief had so exhausted them, they could not stay awake.
There are three kinds of betrayals in today’s reading; three ways that people can fail their Master, Jesus. This is the first. And it is one which makes me tremble, for I know how guilty I am of the exact same kind of failure.
How often have I fallen asleep while praying, or worse, been too tired to really even begin! But perhaps we should not be too hard on ourselves; praying is not an easy business. Speaking personally, I’ve never found it an easy task. I think that our own personalities are relevant to this question.
I have a friend who finds it easy to pray for long periods of time. But he also finds it easy to hold up a conversation for hours at a time. Admittedly the conversation can be a bit one-sided, as he says far more than I do – probably at least five times as much! But I notice when he prays, it is often much the same kind of thing. He just talks!
I'm a poor conversationalist. I can easily teach a three hour class (including discussion) whether it be on theology or Old English poetry, and only stop because we’ve run out of time. But in a conversation, I'm struggling after a few minutes, unless my conversation partner asks me lots of questions. So with prayer. I find I can pray for only short periods of time. I don't like to repeat myself, and I often feel it’s a bit pointless to tell God something I told him yesterday.
It’s one reason I like prepared prayers. They give me the opportunity to pray more broadly than I might on my own. I cover more territory, as it were. My attention is too often focussed on the things closest to my immediate attention. Reading a prayer enables me to look beyond myself. It provides me with a conversation partner who is not short of words to help me have my conversation with God. It’s better than a list.
With a list, I'm tempted just to read it item by item, assuming God could fill in the details. Or just lay it on the table and ask him to read it. Why should I read it? He’s seen it. I'm a person who’s short on spoken detail. Long on written detail and comfortable with long silences. I don’t have a problem with letting my prayers match my personality. Why should I pretend I’m someone I’m not just because I’m talking to God?
What might you do to improve your prayers, taking into account your own personality?
The second type of betrayal is one that most of us may not fear particularly. We may feel that we would never do this. It’s the direct, deliberate betrayal that Judas performed. He planned it, negotiated a deal with the chief priests and coldly executed the plan.
Perhaps this is most like those who were once people of faith, but who have turned their back on God, and quite deliberately deny and speak loudly against him. This is the ultimate antilogion, the word spoken against. It is reasonable that we should pray against that ever happening to us. We should ask God to hold us safe.
It is certainly a reasonable prayer that we may ask for others. My wife and I pray just this prayer almost every night for our children and grandchildren – that God will hold them secure against falling away from his kingdom. This is a deep ministry for grandparents. We often feel as though we have little influence over our adult children and grandchildren. But in fact, we have enormous influence. We have the power of prayer. And that is not nothing.
The third type of betrayal is the one that cuts me most to the bone. Because I know it is this that I commit most readily.
Peter, full of good intentions, hangs around the outer courts of the high priest’s house where Jesus was being interrogated. It is well said that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. It was certainly so for Peter as he entered that darkest night of the soul.
He was undone by a servant girl. How ridiculous for the brash Peter who had, earlier that night been warned by Jesus of this very possibility, and who had rashly rejected any idea that he would succumb to such a temptation. ‘I will follow you to prison and to death!’ Peter had boldly declared.
And now a simple servant girl destroys his cover and plunges a sharp needle into the bubble of his bravado. Few of us (by God’s grace!) will ever have to face the iron-faced interrogator, the torture chamber, or the firing squad to defend our faith. But how easily we can be undone by the blasphemous shop-girl at the checkout, or the ignorant but opinionated cynics at the neighbourhood barbecue or on social media!
As I read today of Jesus’ willingness to stand up to the very worst that human beings can inflict upon him – Oh God! For my sake! – I feel again my shame at being unwilling to suffer even a slightly embarrassing moment for him. Once again, I resolve to be stronger, to be steadfast in my faith and witness for him.
Back in 21:12-13, Jesus foretold the necessity of his disciples being made witnesses for him. The Greek word we translate as witness is marturion – the same word as we use for martyr. We may never be called to give our lives for him. But we are called daily to give up little pieces of our dignity, our self-importance, our public face, for him. Each act of witness is a little martyrdom. It does not go unnoticed by the King.
Prayer: I am so sorry, my Lord Jesus Christ, for the times when I have failed to honour your name; when I have allowed someone near me to curse your name without pointing out that you are my Friend; when I have turned away rather than stand up for you.
Please help me to be bold enough, and confident enough, to be your witness in the future. Even today. Whether to strangers or to my family or friends. Amen.
