The Cost of NOT Praying

Last week I read Luke 22 and was struck by a phrase Jesus’ uses twice: “Pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Verses 40 & 46). 

It’s the last night of Jesus’ life. He has gone to pray at the Mount of Olives, in order to prepare himself for the ordeal that lies ahead. In his humanity, he is tempted to turn away from the will of the Father and avoid the pain and shame of crucifixion. Yet as a faithful son, he does not want to choose that path. 

He knows that prayer – and prayer alone – will sustain him. Only prayer will give him the strength of mind and heart to avoid temptation and hold firmly onto his trust in the Father. 

Jesus knows that his closest friends also will be tempted. As they watch him be arrested, tried, and crucified, they will face the torment of fear and doubt. 

“Will the authorities come after us next?”

“Could we have been wrong about Jesus? Is he really the Messiah?”

Such fears and doubts are real. Jesus knows that prayer – and only prayer – will sustain his disciples. And so, despite the lateness of the hour, Jesus models for them the central importance of prayer. Yet the disciples do not take advantage of the opportunity. Instead of praying…they fall asleep. They ignore Jesus’ urgent exhortation. 

And so they fail.

They fail when the guards come to arrest Jesus, by trying to control the situation with violence and wielding their swords. They fail when Jesus is led away, by choosing to flee rather than stand by his side. They fail after his death, by choosing not to claim his body and by remaining in hiding all weekend. They fail on the first day of the week, by refusing to believe the first reports of his resurrection, brought to them by the faithful women who had visited the tomb.

They fail in all of these very human ways, while Jesus does not fail. He is able to endure an unjust trial, a whipping, and a crucifixion. The only difference is that Jesus prayed…and his disciples did not. 

Notice the sequence of events: 

- Jesus urges the disciples to pray so they will not succumb to temptation.

- Jesus then prays so he will not succumb to temptation.

- In response to his prayer, an angel from heaven comes and strengthens him for his coming ordeal (verse 43). 

- Jesus urges his disciples...again...to pray.

Could it be that if these men would have listened to Jesus, and cried out to the Father, that an angel would have responded to their pleas?

Obviously, we don’t know. What we do know is this: Jesus was strengthened through prayer. And he clearly believes that if his followers pray, they will have the strength to turn away from temptation.

Prayer truly does make a difference. 

When we feel panic, or betrayal, or fear, - as the disciples did on that fateful night – we can be tempted to trust ourselves more than God. We can be tempted to strike out, trying to control our circumstances or control other people. So it’s no wonder that Jesus says to them…and to us…“Pray, so you will not fall into temptation”. 

Because when we pray, we find – as Jesus did – that we can surrender our will to the will of the Father. We can have the spiritual and emotional strength to trust him, regardless of circumstances. When we pray, we can choose the path of faithfulness. 

Let me pray for you. 

Dear Jesus, thank you for giving us a personal view of facing temptation, and how prayer can help. As the readers face difficult or challenging people…difficult or challenging circumstances…help them to turn to you in prayer beforethey act. Help them to experience your strength, as they rely on you instead of succumbing to temptation. Help them to find great joy in trusting you, more than they trust themselves. In your name, amen.