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Prayer Lessons from Gethsemane for the Google Generation Duke Jeyaraj “Each day the 955 million active Facebook users spend 10.5 billion minutes (almost 20,000 years) online on the social network…” – so goes a piece of statistics released in September 2012. We have time to be on Facebook for hours on end. But do we make time to seek God’s face? We have time to touch our smart phones many a time during the day, no matter how crowded our schedule is. But do we take time to touch Jesus’ garment making our way Some people have a communistic viewpoint of prayer. Some amidst the crowd like the people have a cinematic viewpoint of prayer. But we need to bleeding woman (Luke 8:44)? have the Creator’s viewpoint of prayer. Every minute 100,000 tweets are being sent. But many of those from you. I am absolutely fine. A in the first innings. The tweets are sent by robbing from girl prayed here in this chapel just Australians had won 16 Test the minutes that could have been before I came in. I am talking Matches on trot under Steve otherwise spent ‘in the sweet hour about Simran. She’s really a nice Waugh’s leadership until that Test of prayer.’ girl. Whatever she asked you, and the 17th straight win looked please grant it to her. But I don’t very likely. The partnership The Google Generation would do need anything from you. I am Dravid built with VVS Laxman anything to get gorgeous. “Prayer doing good!” who made 281 in the same is the great beautician,” wrote innings brought India back, Leonard Ravenhill. “Moses did We should not have a sensationally, in that gripping communistic view of prayer. We not know that the skin of his face game. For a whole day, March 14, shone because he had been should not have a cinematic view 2001 to be precise, Dravid and talking with God,” the Scripture of prayer. Instead, we should have Laxman played without getting the Creator’s view of prayer. And says (Ex 34:29). out against the feared Aussie that view can be gleaned in Jesus’ attack that included Glen Some Google Genners have prayer in the Garden of McGrath and Shane Warne! When communistic viewpoint of prayer. Gethsemane. Dravid reached his century, he They believe prayer is like a punched the air and aggressively crutch which those who are lame When asked to name his best ever waved his bat towards the Media in their spirit use. Only the weak- innings after his retirement from Box perched atop the Eden willed folk pray, they claim. international cricket in 2012, Rahul Dravid, named the innings Gardens clubhouse which housed Some Google Genners have a in which he made 180 runs, show- journalists who had cast doubts cinematic viewpoint of prayer. I casing steely determination, the about his batting ability. Dravid read about a prayer that actor venue being the Eden Gardens, and Laxman ensured that India Shahrukh Khan prays in the Kolkota in a Test Match India did not have a wicket falling from movie, 1990s Hindi movie, versus Australia. India was asked 67th over of the second innings till DDLJ. The prayer goes this way: to follow-on after a poor 171-run the 171st over, adding 376 runs “Hi, God! I don’t need anything reply to Australia’s massive 445 together! They kept having mid- www.TheDaysofYourYouth.com 3 from men to talk to God in prayer. We must rush to lonely places to pray like Jesus often did during his earthly ministry. Commenting on Luke 5:16 from where we come to understand this particular habit of Jesus, The ESV Study Bible, the best Study Bible presently available in my opinion, says, The Greek construction of Luke 5:16 indicates a continual practice and could also be translated (that Jesus) “was regularly withdrawing and praying.” If we put Luke 5:16 Dravid and Laxman put up a 376-run partnership apart from and Mark 1:35 together we get to batting an entire day without getting out against Australia in the glean out two phrases that Eden Gardens. Jesus prayed earnestly in yet another ‘garden’ …. describe to us WHEN and WHERE Jesus regularly prayed. G-GODLINESS pitch conferences to encourage Here they are - “lonely places” PROTECTING DISCIPLINE each other saying, “Another Over, (Lk 5:16) and “very early in the IS PRAYER. Prayer is a over! We can do it! We can bring morning, when it was still dark” discipline that brings in godliness. India back into this game!” (Mk 1:35)! Jesus wanted to spend When we pray, we receive power Eventually India won that super time with his Father before he to overcome temptation (Lk Test Match – a Test win that spent time with his fellowmen! would easily qualify to be one of 22:40). Prayerful Jesus overcame their finest ever Test wins! temptation that arrived in T-TREMBLING IS INVOLVED Gethsemane. That temptation was IN PRAYER. Jesus ‘knelt’ down Jesus, just like Dravid, entered yet to run away or stay when the and prayed (Luke 22:41). another garden - the Garden of arrest party came. Jesus stayed Kneeling is a posture that Gethsemane – with the odds because he had received power expresses reverence, respect, heavily stacked against him, that comes to overcome trembling of heart. The Bible determined, hoping to build temptation when one prays. It was commands us to do it: Oh come, another kind of partnership, the this power he talked about when let us worship and bow down; let partnership of prayer with three of he kept saying, “Watch and pray us kneel before the Lord, our his closest buddies (Mt 26:36-46: so that you can overcome Maker! (Psa 95:6). We must Mk 14:32-42; Lk 22:40-46). temptation!” The disciples, tremble as we enter the presence however, did not stay because of God in prayer. This trembling What happened there? From this they were sleeping instead of is practically expressed when we event, we learn precious lessons praying. One disciple, so starved kneel and pray. Yes, we can even on the Christian discipline of of prayer, ran so fast out of fear, pray even while we are in the rest prayer. From this narrative, we that his underwear fell through room relieving ourselves. But pick up golden lessons on prayer (Mk 14:51)! there should be regular times for the Google Generation. From when we kneel before God in E-ESTRANGEMENT FROM this we can fish out a challenge to prayer with fear and trembling. seek God’s face, for the Facebook MEN OFTEN HAS TO Folk. Can I share them with you? HAPPEN FOR SERIOUS H-HEAVENLY FATHER PRAYER. Jesus left his disciples SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN So, here is a summary of the (John 18:1) and went a stone PRAYER. Jesus began his prayer lessons on prayer from throw away from his closest by saying, “Father...” (Lk 22:42). GETHSEMANE PUT IN word disciples (Luke 22:41) to pray. We must pray to the Father in the ‘G-E-T-H-S-E-M-A-N-E’ itself. We may need to be estranged name of Jesus. Some people pray www.G-4Mission.blogspot.com 4 to dead saints. The Bible never married to him/her. But you, with “earnest” (Luke 22:44). In other asks us to do that. Some people your limited knowledge, don’t. So words, he meant what he prayed. pray to the Lord Jesus directly. it’s always wise to pray, “Lord, if While you pray, be earnest, There is nothing wrong with this. it is your will, I want to marry so truthful and sincere. Don’t just go When he was about to stoned, and so!” through the motions. Don’t let Stephen prayed to Jesus (Acts your thoughts wander and just E-EMPOWERMENT FOR 7:59). But during our regular babble something which you PRAYER HAPPENS WHEN prayers, we need pray to the don’t mean. Jesus said, “And WE START TO PRAY Father in heaven, in the name of when you pray, do not heap up AMIDST CHALLENGING Jesus. This is the biblical pattern empty phrases as the Gentiles do, CIRCUMSTANCES. We do not for they think that they will be (See Jn 16:23,24). For example, even start to pray because we Jesus taught that we must ask the simply don’t have the motivation heard for their many words” Father for the Holy Spirit (Luke or empowerment. But the secret (Matthew 6:7 ESV). Jesus only 11:13). of prayer is praying in secret, underscored what His someone said. In other words, expectations of his Heavenly S-SUBMISSION TO THE Father as recorded by Prophet WILL OF GOD MUST BE start to pray, and power for remaining in prayer, will be Isaiah: “When you put on your EXPRESSED IN OUR next prayer- PRAYER. Prayer is performance, I’ll be not twisting God’s looking the other way. arm to making Him No matter how long or agree to all our whims loud or often you pray, and fancies. Prayer is, I’ll not be listening. rather, a spiritual And do you know preparation for why? Because you’ve submission to the will been tearing people to of God. Jesus pieces, and your hands submitted himself to are bloody. Go home the will of the Father and wash up. Clean up in his Gethsemane your act” (Isa 1:15-16 prayer (Luke 22:42).

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