Remain Here...

"'Remain here and keep watch with me....' Such a simple request. Has he ever asked these men to do anything for him before?

"'Remain here and keep watch with me....' He asks for so little, but they can't give it. These ones to whom Jesus gave his every waking moment for three years cannot stay awake for one hour at his request....

"In the end there is only the Father....He pleads with his friends, 'Remain here and keep watch with me....' but only the Father hears." (Tricia Rhodes...Day 3 in Contemplating the Cross: A Pilgrimage of Prayer)

Continuing to sit in Gethsemane...gazing at this part of the scene. Our Lord, who gave it all, made one simple request of His three closest friends, and they couldn't do it. What first rose up in me was "*I* wouldn't have fallen asleep!" Wow. Hello, pride. Hello, arrogance. I bowed my head and asked for forgiveness. How many times have I failed to "remain" with Him? Oh my goodness. That truth socked me between the eyes. I stopped judging His friends and joined *them* in the scene, for I am no different from them. I too easily fall prey to my own longings and appetites and don't remain or abide with the Lord. I reach for the ice cream or pick up the phone to call a friend instead of remaining. I daydream about how life could be different or easier instead of facing the painful realities in front of me. I escape into TV or any of a number of distractions instead of pressing into His Word or prayer, or just BEING in His presence, not having to DO anything. After all, isn't that what He asked of His friends? Remain...BE...keep watch. That's not much to ask. Be with me...stay with me...put me first for an hour...pray for me as I grieve.

If we're honest, don't we all want that from our friends? When we are in times of grief, the last thing we want is advice. I think one of the hardest things is to just sit with a crying friend and say nothing...or very little. But that's what's needed. I'm getting a lot better at this, but sometimes I blow it. I hear unnecessary words come out of my mouth and I want to grab them and throw them into the abyss!! Fortunately, my friends have grace for me. :) And I for them. But this is an important message we Americans need to hear...and especially American Christians...SHUT UP. If a friend comes to you in pain, shut up. Don't dispense advice, at least not right away. Listen. Hug. Say, "I love you." (And please, NEVER say, "Shh...don't cry.") You don't need to FIX anything. We are so quick to give advice or spout whatever Bible verse comes to mind because WE are uncomfortable seeing a friend in pain. If we are really honest, we usually offer advice to comfort *ourselves*, not the person in agony. When someone's in agony, even the best advice from the best expert cannot be received. Not at that moment. Wait. Then ask if they want to hear your thoughts, and accept it if they say, "Not now." So hard!! But that's what's needed.

Relating this to Gethsemane -- Jesus' friends couldn't stand to see Him in that much pain. With no iPhones or Facebook or blogs to distract them, they did the only thing available -- fall asleep. Instead of praying for their friend, instead of joining Him in lament before the Father, instead of just BEING with Him in His hour of need, they escaped into sleep. Jesus asked them THREE TIMES and they still couldn't do it. My heart breaks for all of them.

Much to think about...
What part of this scene do we relate to the most? Jesus or His friends or both?
How can we "remain" today?
Is there something He's asking us to do specifically? Can we do it?
Is there someone in pain who needs our love today? No advice, just love?

Let's remain...with Jesus...and with each other.