How many times do you think Jesus ever asked for help?
Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and, no, this is not a Bible quiz, although you could probably come up with many times when Jesus asked His disciples to do things for him. Like the time the crowd on the hillside was hungry? He told His followers to organize the people into groups. Then He also had to ask for help when baskets of loaves and fishes needed to be passed out. Then there was the time He asked His disciples to find a boat so He could cross the Sea of Galilee. We could probably find many accounts in the Bible of Jesus asking His followers to do things for Him.
But what about Jesus asking help for Himself? I can’t think of too many times, except for that night when He and His disciples had slipped out of the Upper Room and across the valley into the Garden of Gethsemane. It was there that night that Jesus asked His three closest friends if they would mind coming a little further to pray. And what’s interesting is, in Matthew 26, there are those two little words added that aren’t in the other Gospel accounts. Jesus asks, “Stay with me.” Those words “with me” are so touching because it’s the only place in the Bible where the Lord directly asks someone for human comfort, for human companionship and encouragement, for a human touch.
In that lonely olive grove, Jesus asked for something from His disciples. He wanted what we all long for every now and then; He wanted a little consolation, someone to stay with Him, be with Him, face hardship alongside Him, and not let Him go it alone. But instead, all He got was a yawn. His need was answered with a lot of snoring because in no time at all, the prayers of those disciples degenerated into dreams and 11 men -- some accustomed to working all night on their fishing boats -- 11 of them could not keep awake to lend moral support to the Son of Man.
Just reading about it in Matthew 26 almost breaks my heart. Because always and always, at any other time, we read of how Jesus continually kept the needs of others in mind. Even that same night, earlier back in the Upper Room, He was dispensing instructions for others. And that same night, in His own prayers, He was interceding for others.
By the way, if you keep reading in Matthew 26, you come across the 40th verse when Jesus finds the men sleeping and He says, “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” And you know what? He asks the same of you: can you not, would you not? Will you please give your Savior at least an hour of your time in prayer this week? After all, He says simply to you, “Stay with me.”
What a wonderful lesson this is from the Gospel of Matthew. Those two little words that Jesus spoke, those words, “with me” say so much. But isn’t that just like the Bible – there’s so much more in there than appears on the surface. And it’s why I’d like to give you a very special gift today: it’s a 12-page laminated foldout of an overview of the Bible, including the main themes of the Bible, the main facts behind each book and key verses at a glance. It’s small enough to slip into your pocket, but it is jam-packed full of all kinds of important insights about each of the Bible’s 66 books. It divides the Bible into the books of history, poetry, and wisdom, the Major and Minor Prophets, Paul’s letters, you name it; this booklet has it. And I'll send you one today; just click on joniandfriendsradio.org and ask for your free copy. Again, that’s joniandfriendsradio.org. And until next time, thank you for giving the Savior those hours that meet not His need, they meet your need.
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