Tuesday, February 27, 2007

The Comfort of Spiritual Friends

Lent Day 7

Matt 26:36-38 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

When I am wrestling with the things that hurt the soul; when I am tangled in webs of dispair and disappointment; when I hurt from wounds that leave no marks... I am grateful for true spiritual friends. Spiritual friends make me capable of doing and facing things that I wouldn't be able to face alone.

In this passage we see that Jesus is crying out for moral support, for the comfort of friends, for comrades at arms. "Keep watch with me." We witness Jesus being more human than divine in this passage. And so we are comforted by the fact that the Son of God needs friends- as we do. Especially, when we are facing the impossible. We need to prayerful voice of friends who know God.

Too many of us try to do it alone.... thinking that is the stuff of heroic effort. It is the pleasure of fools and demons to convince us that we need no spiritual friends. When we are in our Gethsemane, pouring out our souls to God, fighting with his will, struggling toward obedience- we need them. If you have them- consider yourself fortunate- if you don't, seek them out.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Okay, so I want to know how we avoid turning into E-Christians. In a world that is so focus on the "SELF" and the technologies that help promote the "SELF", I sometimes think that it is the enemy's way of seperating the communial spirit and fellowship that is the basis of any Christian realtionship. If we are Jesus Freaks who will better understand us than other JC Freaks? When the enemy is pouring down we need to surround ourselves with others NOT isolate ourselves (as tempting as that is) The problem is simple...How do we focus on God and building our relationship with HIM through ministry with other Christians when we just don't FEEL like it? Let's face it -- if we have the ability to order lunch, have groceries delivered, shop, check out who the White Sox's have added to their pitching new staff & find out more on Anna Nicole all in Sunday Service on our Handheld -- when do we mark off time to remind ourselves to "break bread" with other Christians. Those are just a few of my thoughts...good job big daddy.

Pastor Dave said...

Excellent point! Perhaps there is a ministry of slowing down...