Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Luke 6:12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
PASSIONATE PRAYERS OF OUR SAVIOR -- AWAKE AT NIGHT
Jesus, loving to the end, Her whose heart Thy sorrows rend,
And Thy dearest human friend: Hear us, holy Jesus.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 182:1)
As we continue this week to learn how to "pray like Jesus," we see His example standing clear once again in the account from Luke above. The verses following verse 12 above show the names of the disciples Jesus also called "apostles ..." ones who are sent. One may wonder what Jesus spent "all night in prayer" about. It doesn't seem hard to fathom that Jesus spent a lot of time praying for His disciples, just like He spent the majority of His time tenderly teaching them!
May we in Thy sorrows share, For Thy sake all peril dare,
And enjoy Thy tender care: Hear us, holy Jesus.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 182:2)
What do you pray for as you lie awake at night? Do you pray? Jesus gives us hints here (and there are clear directions throughout all of Scripture) for whom we can spend time in prayer! I ought to begin by praying for myself: for a thirst for the waters of God's Word to make me grow strong -- into a tree that bears fruit for my Savior. I can pray for the Holy Spirit through that Word to give me gifts of peace, patience, understanding, sensitivity, careful words, the love and forgiveness that echoes Christ in what He has done freely for me, and on and on!
But I can also use and make much of that awake time at night to pray for Jesus' disciples too. I can pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ and for the crosses and struggles that they bear. I can pray for similar things for them that I want and need for myself (Galatians 6:2, 10). So much to pray for and so little time! It makes sense now why Jesus would "continue all night" in prayer. His love gave Him reason to.
May we all Thy loved ones be, All one holy family,
Loving for the love of Thee: Hear us, holy Jesus.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 182:3)
