KykNET Lent Guide 2025: In the Shadow of GethsemaneUzorak

... prayer

“Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:46a

Jesus’ prayer life was dynamic. Before he started His ministry, He fasted and prayed in the wilderness for more than a month. Before choosing his twelve disciples, He prayed the whole night. When He heard the upsetting news that John was executed, he withdrew Himself and prayed. After feeding five thousand people, He withdrew and prayed. When He was staring His own death in the face in the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed. Even in His darkest hours of physical and mental torture on the cross, Jesus cried out and prayed.

But it didn’t stop there. After His resurrection, Jesus commanded His disciples to follow His example so that the church finally came into being through all of them who were consistently together in prayer. And when it started to grow, the apostles continued to follow their Lord’s example and prayed determinedly and continuously for the church and the world. James says: The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Jesus tells His disciples in Gethsemane; Prayer helps you not to fall into temptation… It makes me think about the writer of Hebrews who says: Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Prayer helps us not to lose focus during the faith journey we’re on.

Maybe sleep and prayer are the poles of where we find ourselves. Sleep makes us unaware; prayer makes us aware. Sleep makes us blind; prayer opens our eyes. Sleep makes us self-centered and lonely; prayer focuses our thoughts on the One with whom we are in a wonderful relationship.

Exercise

Find a place, as Jesus invites us to, “a quiet secluded place,” and ask God to make you aware of the things you should pray for.

• Has someone asked you recently to pray for them? Pray for them now.
• If you look at the world around you, what is on your heart to give to God and pray about?

Prayer: I ask for a deep consciousness of Your love and work in my life.