They walked in the garden together.  Supper was over and the night they would never forget was closing in. 

They were all tired and needed some sleep, but one of them still had a burden that could not be put to rest.  The teacher looked from one to another and then asked his friends to stay where they were and wait while he walked on ahead.  

He would need to be alone now.  Little did the others know just how alone their teacher would be as the night went on.  But just now he must be alone in prayer with his Father.  He asked his friends to pray while they were waiting for his return - not just wait - but wait and pray.

Do you think they wondered why?

But as he walked the path ahead, 
they settled down, relaxed a bit,
and slept, while his heart bled.  

"My father" Jesus cried "please take this cup away, 
because I know the weight, the debt, 
the price, this night I'll pay."

"But my Father, God, you know, though 
I hurt so much inside,
it is truly in your will I want to now abide." 

After a while he rose and went back to the disciples.  
They were asleep.

"Couldn't you watch and pray one hour?
 Didn't your flesh have a little power?"
"Please watch and pray" again he said, 
as he walked a little way ahead.

 In grief, he fell before the King.
He wept – his heart was shattering.
He prayed and sweat with drops like blood.
He prayed to the ever-living God. 

But he said, "Not my will be done, but thine."
 And his friends slept on in his darkest time.   

They missed so much.  They had no idea what our Savior suffered for them. They did not see his struggles.  They didn’t hear his plea.  How could they know?  And if we ignore this part of the story we will miss much as well.  We won’t see what Jesus, The Son, suffered for us during those hours in the garden.  There was more suffering ahead, but in these scriptures we see Jesus’ humanity, and in that humanity we see his love and pain so vividly.

If we read Matthew 26:36 - 46 or Mark 15:32 we will respond with gratitude as well as sadness.

Thank you, Jesus.  Oh, Thank you!