One of Jesus' Greatest Teachings

Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.” [Luke 22.53]

It occurred to me today that our greatest trial takes place in prayer.

Jesus' agony began on the Mount of Olives, His known and regular place of prayer.

It is of significance that the Mount of Olives had to do with olives, the source of olive oil. In the Bible, oil always represents the Holy Spirit and His work.

It is also of significance that Jesus, in this Holy Spirit place of regular prayer, fought and won His resolve to attend the Cross.

It was not in the Temple where Jesus taught often that He was arrested. It was not down by the lake in some moment of leisure. It was not in the midst of raising the dead or feeding thousands with virtually nothing. Instead, it was in Jesus' most intimate place and time with God that the transition from 'teacher' to 'Savior' occurred.

People often comment that they have no comprehension of how they could withstand persecution. Most have a great fear of persecution and, frankly, hope they are dead before that time occurs for them.

What we see in today's OYCB reading is the solution for all that anxiety and fear of persecution: prayer. But not just any prayer hurriedly offered up at the last minute... The kind of prayer that prepared Jesus for the Cross was the prayer of faithfulness and regularity.

So, actually, it was fitting that Jesus should be arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane (on the Mount of Olives) for it was there that He had done His preparation for that very event.

We must remind ourselves that Jesus did not ask the question above (Luke 22.53) because He didn't know the answer! He asked the question so that down through the ages, any time this account is read about, men would be faced with the question, "Why WAS Jesus arrested in His regular place of prayer?"

The answer to this question is among Jesus' greatest teachings to anyone who would be His disciple. The resolve to face our greatest persecution is found in not just "a prayer," but in the place of "regular prayer."

Wow.

Father, help me to understand that my place of prayer is my place of greatest strength and resolve.