Lord’s Day, Vol. 3 No. 7

(1) In Times of Trial

And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt. (Matthew 26:39 In the hour of trial, our Lord Jesus was prayerful and obedient to the Father’s will.

(a) His Prayerful Disposition (v39a)

The Lord said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death…” (Matthew 24:38). It was a sorrow borne out of grief, for the weight of mankind’s sin would be placed upon Him. It was a lonely journey for our Lord from Gethsemane to Calvary. His disciples could not tarry with Him.

Our Lord retired to pray alone. His thoughts were upon “the cup” of His suffering and death on the cross. Prayer was effectual for our Lord. He was strengthened. Luke 22:43, “And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him.”

When we pray, we commit our anxieties to our God. Peace follow, so that we may face our trials with courage.

Philippians 4:6,7, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

(b) His Complete Obedience to the Will of God (v39b)

Is there a disparity between our Lord’s will and the Father’s will? Not at all! Prayer, in earnest, conform the man of God to the will of God. This is the fruit of prayer. The reformer John Calvin noted, “We see how Christ restrains his feelings at the very outset, and quickly brings himself into a state of obedience.”

There is no greater safety than being in God’s will. It seemed a hopeless end for Jesus to submit Himself to die on the cross. However, three days after Jesus died, He rose from the dead. What a victory! What a comfort for every obedient child of God who submits himself to do according to God’s will. Our Lord has a perfect plan for our lives and we can rest assured in Him.

The prerequisite for being in the centre of God’s will is that we must know His Word. His will is revealed to us in His Word. We need to be engaged in regular study of His Word. With earnest prayer, the Holy Spirit will use the Word of God to show us His will. But when we choose to disobey His known will, we fall into the chastitive will of God. Peace and joy depart from us until we repent. Then, sweet fellowship with God is restored.

Conclusion

Brethren, there is power in prayer. May we be mindful to cultivate a habit for prayer! How is your prayer life? How is your quiet time? Are you drawing strength from Him in times of need? The Lord does help us to mortify our self-will when we pray and ask for spiritual strength to obey Him, to have the conviction to do the will of God. As we face trials in our lives, let us commit them to the Lord in prayer and submit to His will. Amen.

(2) Visits to Grandma 

Once a month, Rev. Dr. Tow Siang Hwa visits my grandmother to administer the Lord’s Supper. She is house-bound at 90 years of age.

Thank God for opening grandmother’s spiritual eyes to receive Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour. She was ‘publicly’ baptised before her children and grandchildren some 2 years ago. She testified in Teochew that early every morning, she would call to Jesus to bless her family – children and grandchildren, before she would have her morning coffee.

Indeed, God delights to hear and answer our prayers. Psalm 5:3, “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

All praise and honour to God.

Yours lovingly in Christ,

Pr. Lek Aik Wee