It was evening. When darkness settled over the earth and all movement and noise ceased, the heaviness set in. Sorrow filled his heart and the only thing that could relieve the pain was prayer.
Sorrow needs company. They could not understand the depths of his turmoil but he still wanted them to be close by and to pray for him. Theirs was the company he chose in his darkest hour.
“Sit here while I go over there and pray,” he asked. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
His friends failed him. The hour was late. The day had been long and they drifted off into sleep. They were not feeling the same sorrow he knew. “Could you men not keep watch with me for ONE hour?” he asked.
He went away again, only to return to find them sleeping. This time he left them and went away by himself a third time to agonize in prayer.
Was he disappointed in his friends? Was he hurt that his pain was not enough to cause them sleeplessness. Did it make him sad that they did not care enough to pray?
I ask myself, “How many times do I promise to pray for a friend and don’t follow through? How many times have I failed by forgetting to pray, getting distracted, or by not praying fervently enough?”
Sorrow invites few to join. If I am one of those chosen few, I owe them the honor of remaining alert and praying fervently until the end.
Has Sorrow asked you to stay close and pray? Do you ever fall asleep?
I pray that I will be the type of friend who stands close and intercedes at all hours of the day or night.