March 18 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Luke 22:39-46:

³⁹And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
⁴⁰And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
⁴¹And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
⁴²Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
⁴³And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
⁴⁴And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
⁴⁵And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
⁴⁶And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

Devotional

Jesus was in Gethsemane. He cautioned his disciples: Pray, that ye enter not into temptation. "And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done." The sorrows of hell and the snares of death came upon him. The waters came over his soul. The wrath of God lay hard upon him. No doubt it was in Gethsemane that Christ "offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death."

He was heard; his prayer was answered. An angel from heaven came and strengthened him. The angel did not relieve him of his suffering, but strengthened him, so that He was able to bear it. His suffering increased still more. We read, "Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." The strength He had received enabled him to endure this extreme suffering, to drink the cup to the dregs.

Since Christ suffered thus and prayed thus and was heard, we can come to God in our sorrows and temptations and deepest anguish of soul and have the assurance that we shall be heard, and that God will deliver us. This we owe to Christ who endured such suffering for us.

Prayer

Our Father in heaven, we thank Thee that Jesus in the days of his flesh offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and that He was heard. When He was in the garden of Gethsemane, where He experienced extreme agony, Thou didst send an angel to strengthen him, and Christ came out victorious. We thank Thee, that now in his name we may pray unto Thee, in our conflicts and distresses, and Thou wilt hear us, and grant us the victory for his sake. For this we praise Thee. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Luke 22:40-42; Ps. 18:5; 69:1; 88:8; Heb. 5:7; Luke 22:43, 44.

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