36 Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away[f] unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.
44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!” Matthew 26:26-46
This is a picture I took in the garden of Gethsemane during my visit to Israel in 2016, the very place Jesus challenged us to keep praying to defeat temptation. It’s easy to give into our tiredness and go into sleep mode, or going to our, what I like to call unfiltered mode, and allow media and other things to be exposed to our mind. The “spirit is willing but the body is weak,” raise your hand if you can relate.
Lets remember the temptation Judas fell into when he was tempted to betray Jesus just to gain personal wealth. There are poor choices one is willing to make when their guard is down, however God knew the condition of Judas’ heart which would be used to fulfill prophecy of Jesus being handed over to be crucified.
Remember tonight the price paid for your life with Jesus’ blood. Are you letting your life be unfiltered of the things of this world? Are you pushing off communicating with God because your tiredness and other excuses are more important to you? God knows our heart, He knows our thoughts and intentions, we may say we want to be in closer communication, but only those who follow and obey truly mean what they say. Allowing your relationship with Christ to be something you should have done before it was too late, is a very bad idea.
You can find peace in your relationship with Jesus in a chaotic life. You do that by going to God in prayer. Sharing what it is that’s on your mind just like a close friend. More importantly you can guard yourself against the temptations of this world.
Refined as Pure Gold 