March 10, 2025 - Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭34‬-‭35‬, ‭37‬-‭38

“He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray,”” Mark 14:34-35, 37-38 NLT

Oh, our beautiful Jesus, this passage breaks my heart. What a weight you were carrying. Your death was quickly approaching, it’s impossible for us to imagine what it felt like knowing what you were about to endure. To see you wrestling with your flesh not wanting to go through with your mission, but your spirit’s great love that was driving you forward for our sake. Wow, what remarkable love. We are forever grateful. We see here your closest friends failing you in a moment when you carried the weight of the world’s sins on your shoulders and needed them to stand with you in prayer. Oh, it is heartbreaking, but what is more heartbreaking is that we are still doing this to you.

I see you in heaven looking down on the state of our world. I see your heart breaking for us. You see all the lost souls that you died for and that you long to see come to know your love for them. You carry the weight of the longing for every lost soul. And oh, the hurt you carry as you witness all the pain your children face and walk through in their lives here. Lord, as your friends and followers, we don’t want to be oblivious to your pain or be found asleep when you need us most. Let us be people who stand with you in prayer for the lost and hurting. Let us take the time daily to ask you what is on your heart and intercede for those things until we see breakthrough. Let us help you carry some of your burdens, our friend and King.

In Jesus name, amen.