A Little Farther

In Matthew 26 we read where Jesus and His disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. After going into the garden a ways, Jesus asked nine of them to stay there and to pray. The scriptures document that He went a little farther and told Peter, James, and John to stay there and to pray. In one of the gospels it says Jesus went a stone's throw away from them. In Matthew 26 Jesus said He wanted to go "...a little farther..." to pray.

I observe the following: Jesus felt the need to pray, so He takes the disciples with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane. He wants, ultimately, to pray alone but maybe didn't feel right about leaving the three disciples who were closest to Him with the other nine. However, after going farther into the Garden, Jesus too asks even those closest to Him to stay behind while He goes even beyond them.

These are my thoughts on these observations. Jesus knew He could not pray the way He really needed to if He was surrounded by the disciples, even those nearest His heart. There could be no distractions if His human will was to be conquered so His divine will could be fulfilled. Jesus needed to be in a quiet and still place where He would not be bothered for a while. It was only by getting away from 'it all' that Jesus was able to pray and battle His flesh for the very harsh few days ahead of Him. It was only in that 'alone' place, the place where an altar could be built and the cup of suffering could be approached and ultimately drank.

We find those in the Bible who were spiritually close to the Lord were often led away to 'alone' places and it was there God prepared them for the road ahead. Moses was led to the backside of a desert. It was there that Moses met his wife and herded Jethro's sheep. Even the backside of the desert became home to Moses, but God was not satisfied nor finished with him yet. While Moses was out with his father-in-law's sheep, God called him away from even them to a burning bush where the ground he stood on was holy. Moses went to the burning bush a sinful man, even a murderer, but left a deliverer. He had to go 'a little farther' to become what God wanted him to become and for his human will to be conquered.

Even the nation of Israel was called away from Egypt through Moses into a desert where they had to depend on God, where they had learned to depend on Egypt (the world) for so long. While in Egypt they were slaves, but in the desert they became a holy nation and peculiar people.

We observe the same pattern with so many others God called and used for His glory in scripture. If, in this busy day and age in which we live, we will always be willing to go 'a little farther' to commune with God, put forth the extra effort and sacrifice, we can be used mightily for His Kingdom.

I'm Still Alive!

The move to Beaumont has been a long process and I haven't had much time to do anything except focus on the move. I fully intend to keep this blog and for it to be better than ever.

To all of you blog authors: Please continue sending in posts, as all the posts that have been sent so far have been great. God has already used them in my ministry. Keep up the good work!

I'll have another post soon. Sorry for the brief interuption, but we will pick up where we left off. Lord bless you all!