humility

Humanity in prayer

praying-hands

It was Jesus who showed me His own humanity when He prayed.

Then he returned to the three disciples and found them asleep; and he said to Peter, “How is it that you three were not able to keep watch with me for even one hour? He returned once more and found the disciples asleep; they could not keep their eyes open. Then he returned to the disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look! The hour has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the power of sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, here is the man who is betraying me!” – Matthew 26:40,43,45-46 GNT

The Jewish custom of praying during this time would be to stand when they prayed. At times there would be kneeling. When one throws themselves to the ground on their face to pray – that would be a sign of abject humility. Jesus was offering an intense prayer – that included crying and tears presented to God.

I pray that I could have that same humility when I pray for those who have never been introduced to Jesus.

You are to open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God’s chosen people. – Acts 26:18 GNT

Prayer the church’s banquet, angel’s age,
God’s breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav’n and earth
Engine against th’ Almighty, sinner’s tow’r,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six-days world transposing in an hour,
A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;
Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss,
Exalted manna, gladness of the best,
Heaven in ordinary, man well drest,
The milky way, the bird of Paradise,
Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul’s blood,
The land of spices; something understood. – George Herbert, Prayer (I)