2022.01.15/16
From the Pastor’s Desk: Pastor Alex Poon
Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,
In Matthew 26 Jesus, after falling on his face in prayer, praying words that never cease to amaze us, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will”, found his disciples sleeping.
He said to Peter, “… the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41b)
In one sense or another, you may find yourself weak these days. And that’s ok. Sometimes we get up in the morning finding ourselves just in a bit of a sour mood. We wonder why. It wasn’t like the previous evening was eventful in that there was anything to upset us. You might even think to yourself that there isn’t one particular issue in your life that is causing you great stress. Or there might be. There might be something causing you to wake up in anxiousness, or as the saying goes, “on the wrong side of bed”. Sad to say, but that reality is ok too.
How does our Lord Jesus invite us to respond?
He went and fell on his face in prayer when the most trying moment of his life was just around the corner. And then he showed understanding to his disciples when he found them asleep – even if their spirit was willing, their flesh was weak.
And then Jesus went and prayed a common prayer familiar to all of God’s people, “your will be done.”
The point is this; consider, on the days where you want to pray but find it difficult to pray, to pray the words gifted to us by God and the inspired authors.
Consider praying the common words of God’s people.
Consider finding the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 and praying as he teaches us to. Consider opening the book of Psalms to allow the Biblical authors to usher us into seeking God in all circumstances.
You see, in God’s loving heart of compassion; He knows His children need Him. He knows that for those children who depend on Him, our hearts are longing to cry out to Him – but sometimes we just don’t have the words to muster up. And so, He left us with some.
In particular seasons we will experience tiredness, despair and indifference and we’re assured that without exception we’re all going to experience seasons where prayer is dry and honestly really challenging.
And so, it’s like God has left us with handrails to grip onto so that we might know how to pray and what to pray.
Know this; prayer doesn’t have to be full of enthusiasm and passion, but sometimes it will feel like a challenge of enduring stamina.
Keep praying and may you long to pray, still.
Our Lord inclines his ears to us, to hear our every word and cry. And He understands both the joy and longing that fills our hearts.
When the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. When we are falling on our face about to enter into a deep darkness, our Lord Jesus invites us to lean into the words that keep us tuned to Him.
Let us follow Him, let us pray together,
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:9-13 ESV)
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Alex Poon