A Journey with Jesus during Lent

Wednesday, March 1, 2023 A Journey with Jesus during Lent Day 7 Matthew 26:36-38 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Our setting has now changed to the garden of Gethsemane. Did you know Gethsemane means olive press? This garden is where the olives were pressed and crushed so that only the oil remains. Jesus was literally going to be pressed on all sides here in this garden. Because Jesus was fully God, sometimes it’s hard to imagine him being fully human, but he was! Jesus knew what was coming, the hard journey was about to begin and he was hard-pressed on all sides. He wanted and needed to pray, and he desperately wanted his closest friends (Peter, John and James) near him. In these three verses, He models for us that when we are going through difficult times, we need our closest friends to come alongside us, to be with us and pray with us. So, let’s remember to keep our hearts open and humble so that we will allow them in. Let’s let them carry the burden for us when we are in anguish, sorrowful and hard-pressed times. Have you experienced a time when you called on your closest circle of friends to lift you up in prayer and carry you through a very difficult time and if so, what was the result?

Dear Jesus, We praise You and give thanks that we get to journey with You through this season of Lent. Draw us closer to Your heart, that we might know You better. After we daily reflect on Your selflessness and life-giving Word, give us wisdom to be Your hands and feet in the world just as You intend. Give us hearts of compassion, hands of generosity, and feet that take Your good news to the world. We love You and are honored to serve you Lord, our sweet Savior. Amen.

Week 2 Act of Kindness “For I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink” Matthew 25:35b This week, donate water to a homeless shelter or make a donation to a “clean water mission” organization (i.e., Splash.org, Water.org)