Lent Guide: In the Shadow of GethsemaneUzorak

Get up and pray…

“Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:46a

Jesus invites those who follow Him to find a place where they can be alone and pray (Mark 6:31). How do you feel when you hear ‘you must pray’? Is it something that inspires you?

The disciples had watched Jesus and had seen everything He did and what He achieved, so they asked Him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1). They could have asked Him to teach them how to preach, to heal the sick, to advise – but they ask Him, ‘teach us to pray.’ They realised that prayer was something they could learn to do; it was the one thing they had to learn from Jesus to live the life He lived. Prayer is not a gift that only some people have; it’s not something you get right immediately; prayer is something you learn how to do.

Jesus didn’t teach them anything He didn’t do Himself. He talks to His Father. He asks after His Father’s will so that He can do what His Father wants. He finds refuge with His Father – in the uncertainty when dark clouds gather (Mt 26:36-38).

We all know those places. Where do you find your refuge? Where is your hideout? What do you do in times of stress? We can escape – when we just want to get away from it all, we can anaesthetise ourselves through activities or using substances. Maybe all of us do that to some extent. And maybe it’s justified, but it’s not very useful.

There is another type of life in which we can grow. A life with Him where we learn to give more and more of ourselves over to Him and to find our life in Him. The first invitation that comes to us from Jesus is to go to the Father. The Father who made you, through Who’s will you exist and who loves you deeply and truly. Go to Him and share your life with Him.

Exercise

• Ask Him to make you aware (let you see, notice, realise, be reminded) of…

How you really feel, and what you really think about prayer

His assignment and invitation to a relationship with Him through prayer

• Share with Him what you think and feel about your experience

Prayer: I askfor a deep consciousness of Your love and work in my life.