Get Up And Pray
BRD REFLECTION 2025
Luke 22:39-71 and Psalm 36 (NIV)
(Wendy Chiam from Small Group Ministry)
READ:
Luke 22:39-71 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
Luke 22:39-71 marks the beginning of Jesus’ agony and His submission to God’s will. It recounts His betrayal by one of His disciples, Peter’s denial, and the mocking and beatings by His oppressors. It tells of how, after an exhausting day, the disciples gave in to their desire to sleep instead of staying awake to pray for strength, as Christ had commanded ( v39-46).
The disciples’ failure to pray subsequently led to their stumbling when Jesus was captured. Peter, the courageous disciple who said earlier in verse 33 that he would be ready to go both to prison and to death, gave in to weakness and denied Jesus three times.
When Jesus turned and looked at Peter (v61), it was not a look of condemnation nor disappointment (for He already knew this would happen (v34), it was a look of love that led Peter into repentance (v62) and restoration.
APPLY:
Reading this passage reminded me that I am no different from the disciples. The verses remind me of the importance of integrating prayers into my daily life, the importance of my posture as I pray and how prayers help me resist temptation.
I often give in to my exhaustion and justify my need for rest instead of keeping to my daily prayer routine. As I reflect, I am reminded of how I allow temptations to seep into the cracks of my life when I fail to surrender to God in prayer. However, when I prepare myself with prayers and supplications, He strengthens my faith and gives me peace amid the challenges.
As God assures in Isaiah 54:10, “For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My loving kindness will not be removed from you”, I am thankful that the look that Christ gave to Peter was one of love and compassion. With this same assurance, I know that my God is a God of second chances. Even when I sin, He looks at me with love, forgiveness and restoration.
DO:
As Christ’s follower, I am to emulate and obey Him. Just like how Jesus’ habit was to go and pray, I must keep to my daily prayer routine so that I will not fall into temptation.
As part of a church community, I have to be in fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, supporting and praying along with one another just as the disciples stayed close to Jesus when He withdrew to pray.
PRAY:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promise to never remove Your loving kindness from me. Thank You for Your mercies and restorations.
Father, teach me not to take Your mercies for granted but incline my heart to Your ways. Please give me the desire to meditate on Your Word and grant me the perseverance to be faithful in my prayers so that I can be used for Your purpose.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
