********** Never Saw It Coming ********** After serving with Jesus, witnessing his miracles, passion, and compassion leading up to this night.. his disciples NEVER SAW IT COMING. I know personally that I sometimes stumble and fall after a high moment in my life. Maybe this is what happened to Jesus disciples. The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, demons are exorcised, the dead arise, the masses fed, the storms calmed, and with just a pinch of faith they learn they can even walk on water. Then just a few days earlier Jesus leads them right into Jerusalem to fanfare fit for a king that first Palm Sunday. On Monday they watch Jesus clear the temple demonstrating he is no milk toast Messiah, and then witnessed that poor fig tree who found himself planted in the wrong soil at the wrong time inspiring one disciple to note in his day planner.. note to self.. dont make Jesus mad!!!! So who wouldnt be riding high? Exhausted, but they were on a spiritual and emotional adrenaline rush that is beyond my comprehension. Then on Thursday night Jesus shares an emotional Last Supper with a heartfelt message of devotion with a servants heart with his disciples while sharing the bread and cup. Of course in my mind I see a bad carb moment in the last supper that never happened. After the Last Supper they move to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus is feeling the weight of what is about to happen, and so He does what we all should do when troubled.. Jesus Prays. He asks his disciples to do the same, but being so very human and so very tired, and not comprehending the high drama that is about to happen.. they sleep. I fall a sleep watching TV frequently, and have a ‘prayerful moment’ from time to time in church, so what makes me think I wouldnt fall asleep late at night in a peaceful garden when I am asked to be quiet and pray. So while Jesus agonizes over what is about to happen, he prays “Father not my will but your will be done!”.. and at this moment as captured so powerfully in the movie the Passion of the Christ… satan is Stomped! Prayers of Jesus are answered, the sleep of the disciples is now over, and now the final hours of Jesus life are set in motion. Judas next arrives with temple guards to betray Jesus with a kiss, and these guards tumble backwards like keystone cops in a bumbling effort to capture Jesus. Since Peter had been sleeping when he should have been praying he runs to the rescue of Jesus like a Jewish bull in a china shop cutting off the ear of a servant of the High Priest. In the midst of this chaos Jesus commands Peter to put down his sword, and he heals the severed ear for this servant. Confused, and with his ego bruised, Peter and the rest of the disciples run away. I am pretty sure I would have run too. Of course I am a very sound sleeper, and maybe would have slept through the whole arrest. Hopefully not. While again it is very clear, The Last Supper, Gethsemane, and the Arrest of Jesus are not sources of humor, but I pray my words respectfully capture the irony of the human condition. Just like the disciples we too get caught off guard with busy minds, and misguided good intentions. May we today and everyday learn to follow Jesus words Watch and Pray. May we be sensitive to a bigger life than our own lives. May we be selfless followers who live by Gods two greatest commandments.. Love God with all your hearts, souls, and minds, and others as ourselves.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 04:18:19 +0000
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