In the Face of Temptation

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Luke 22:39–46
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In the Face of Temptation
Temptations will come to each of us. I don’t have to convince you of this. And on our own we stand no chance against them. Our only hope is to turn to God in prayer. And in those dark hours it is all the more important to cling to the cross. Even our Lord struggled in the garden with what was to come. While the disciples sleep, Jesus, in prayerful agony, shrinks from His coming ordeal, as He asked His Father to take the cup from Him, and yet He still submits to His Father’s will, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Without focus on Jesus and His agony in the garden, we will too easily succumb to temptation. Yet, He comes to us, again and again, to strengthen us against temptation.  Therefore, as we sing in the great Lutheran hymn, “Go to dark Gethsemane, All who feel the tempter’s pow’r; Your Redeemer’s conflict see, Watch with Him one bitter hour; Turn not from His griefs away; Learn from Jesus Christ to pray.”