By Angeline M Duran Santiago
Having my morning time with the Word, I read through Mark Chapter14 and suddenly felt as if the pages had grabbed me and taken me in to the Garden of Gethsemane. The conversation became personal and I felt like someone that had once more, failed, misunderstood and not been able to complete what had been expected of me. Reading the passage over again, I saw how these words were piercing into my heart and asking me why I had not been paying attention to the admonishing from the Lord.
It’s been so very long that I’ve sensed the Lord telling me to really take time to be in His presence. But, it’s not the quick, 1,2,3 prayers that we throw up into the heavens like a Frisbee to our Heavenly Father, I know that I know that the Lord was inviting me to something greater. Still, like Peter, it was late, I was tired, I keep nodding off and putting off his one request, to watch and pray. He was showing me my current situation and what was to come. Just like in this passage, the Lord was asking me to watch and pray. Jesus understood what was coming. He knew the pain, the agony, the trials and the hardships of just moments away. He even voiced his thoughts, “Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” This became my prayer also. "Lord, I don't want to go through this again. God, if only you would just take all this from my life. I'm tired of the way things are going and what my kids are suffering....If only." Those quick, rushed wish lists to heaven and I still was doing my own thing and what He had asked me to do- take a moment to watch and pray.
As I meditated on this scripture, I saw the Lord being very aware of what he was about to do and endure. I also saw him telling me to open my eyes the same way and to wake up and be aware of what I was going through and what was about to take place in my life, in my near future. He was inviting me to fellowship and I was tired. I was Peter, full of faith on one side, but tired and weary on the ground. This passage resounded inside of me as I felt the Lord asking me why I was struggling with prayer. I felt ashamed. The scriptures spoke out to me, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The Lord knows our struggles. He knows that in the midst of our flesh not being able to push through, The Lord is saying, “I know that deep inside you want to draw closer. I know you want to spend time with me. I know you long for deep intimacy where I can download into your life all that you will need for the hard times up ahead. And, I also know that it’s hard for you. But, get up girl, get up and get it together. Those quick prayers aren’t going to get you through what’s about to come your way.”
A third time the Lord comes and asks them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?” “Angie, are you still sleeping? Are you still in la la land and totally ignorant of what I am asking you to do? I am telling you to get ready, to prepare and come into that place where I can fill your life. But, you’re still in a daze. You need to wake up from this slumber of going about your day and not realizing how much more you need from my presence.” The Lord tells them, “It is enough, the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going! See my betrayer is approaching!"
This morning I saw these words in a different light. "It is enough, the hour has come." To me the Lord was saying, "Girl, enough wasting time and acting so indifferent. Don't you see the hour has come to open your eyes and see what's coming, what is approaching and what is around you? Can't you sense what is already coming towards you and even with your knowing of the attack and the trials, you're taking it light like it's not about you and you don't need to get serious about getting strong through seeking your Heavenly Father. It is enough. No more staying the same. Time to take a pause and make a change.
"The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." I felt in my heart the Lord showing me how this world has decided to take everything and everyone that represents the Kingdom of our Lord and is ready to set Him on notice to attack, take him down, a full on assault on our King of Kings. Although this world is attacking everything that stands for the Lord, we as his children do not go unnoticed. The enemy and all of the hosts of darkness are also coming out against God's children as they either seek the Lord in whole hearted devotion in the garden of Gethsemane or fall asleep.
"Rise! let us be going!" Time to rise up and do what we have to do. And what is that thing I felt the Lord placing in my heart as urgent and immediate? Prayer, but the kind of prayer where we really and truly come before the Lord and seek his presence, love on Him and allow His love to fall upon us, prayer that seeks God with a heart full of repentance and without thinking we're good and deserve it all, but come saying, "Lord, I can't do anything without You."
I don't know if you sense the Lord asking you to do anything. I see the desperate situations in the lives of the people I love and what I've done has not been enough. I believe God is calling his children to have Elijah and Elisha moments. I believe the Lord is inviting us to surrender and believe that we can see great moments as seen in the Old Testament. I believe God is still saying He is the Great Powerful One. He says, "Trust me." The hour of darkness may come against us but God is with us and He will give us victory against the devil. God has promised to be with us as we stand against the devil, as we fight and as we push darkness back.
Lord, show me how to enter into that moment of praying and seeking You. My home needs your touch. My family needs a breakthrough. There is a great need to be delivered from sickness, disease and infirmity. Every attack of the enemy can be broken. Anxiety, depression, and mental despair must fall down at the feet of Jesus. God will destroy the work of the enemy if we seek Him and believe.
Well, that was my though. It's what happens when I read Scripture. My mind just sees it like a movie. My heart receives it like God's word just for me. I pray you are encouraged to pray and to stand for your family and your needs, in Jesus name, amen.
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