A Goal for 2016

As a caregiver for Dad, in the early days, I found myself saying to people with needs, "Well at least I can pray for you." After a year or so, I realized the prayer was the best thing I could do for someone, whatever the difficulty might be. This was originally written in 2014, obviously prior to my father's death, but when I found it in my files, it reflected my heart's desire for 2016.

Praying Instead of Sleeping

And when He rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, “Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.”  Luke 22:45-46

When listening to Dr. Ted Kersch, the pastor of South Tulsa Baptist Church, preach a sermon on the account of Jesus’ prayer in the garden as recorded in Luke 22, I was struck by a phrase in verse 45 in that same passage. The phrase “sleeping for sorrow” leaped from the page of the Bible I was using. Other translations use the word “grief”, “anguish”, or “sadness” in this phrase.

Immediately, this verse brought to mind an incident in my own life from a couple of weeks earlier. I assisted my mother in caring for my father, looking after his small herd of cattle, and various other responsibilities on the little farm. That morning by 9 a.m. after several minor catastrophes, I heard coming from my mouth, “I am so depressed I just want to lie down and go to sleep.” Obviously, leaving my 89-year-old mother to shoulder the care of my 95-year-old father, with multiple issues because of his strokes,was inconceivable. I breathed a prayer asking for strength for the day, for wisdom, and for eyes to stay focused on Him and His plan for the day.

Jesus was warning the disciples against this improper focus in Luke 22:45. Jesus knew the difficulties that lay ahead for Him and His followers. That was the reason for the prayer. He was modeling the correct way to handle calamity and impending problems – Pray. He was warning them that failure to pray would lead to succumbing to the temptation to give in to our fears, feelings of despair, complaining, doubt, loss of courage, and inevitably, turning away from Him.

Father, give me a heart to stay in an attitude of prayer, even subconsciously, communing with You. Lead me to focus on You and avoid fixating on the difficulties and troubles that distress me. Give me an awareness that no situation surprises You, and that You will bring good out of the upheavals and struggles I encounter. Your plan is to show Your faithfulness and power in whatever hardship occurs in my life.

A plaster paris replica of praying hands
that I painted in Vacation Bible School
 in the 1960s.