Then Jesus returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (Mark 14:32-42)

Jesus must have felt desperately lonely and in need of loyal friends, the night he led his eleven disciples into the Garden of Gethsemane. He separated Peter, James, and John apart from the rest, and took them a little deeper into the garden. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

Then he went a short distance further, fell to the ground, and prayed, “Father take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36) When he returned to his three trusted disciples he found them asleep. Can you detect the note of disappointment in His voice as He said, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?”

This scene repeated itself three times. In his most desperate hour, Jesus was alone. Even his most devoted disciples and best friends could not share his time of anguish with him.

In our lives, also, there will be times when human friends will disappoint us. If we’ve been looking to them to meet our needs, we’ll be bitterly disappointed. But that is just the point. We are to look to God to meet our needs Who will never fail us. Jesus was not left without comfort. “An angel from heaven appeared to Jesus and strengthened him.” (Luke 22:43)

Despite Peter’s failure to support Jesus during his darkest hour, Jesus expressed his love for him. “I know how it is: ‘the spirit is willing, but the body is weak‘”, he said to Peter. (Mark 14:38)

Jesus loved even the people who disappointed him. He loves real people, not ideal people. And I’m very glad about this.

Dear God, I want to love as Jesus loves. He loves us with all our imperfections. Help me to love my friends like He does. Amen

Question: What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself?

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