I am spending time in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus this week. I want to learn from the way He prayed that night before His arrest.
Yesterday, I learned that His prayer was a solitary one. It was also a humble prayer. After leaving His disciples, Matthew tells us, “He went a little farther and fell on His face and prayed.” [Matt 26:39 NKJV]
I’ve often seen that painting of Jesus praying in the Garden, hands folded sweetly, light pouring from the heavens, serenity on His face, kneeling by a rock. Nice picture, but that’s not what I read in Scripture. There was nothing sweet nor serene about this prayer. His posture was one of abject humility. He literally “fell on His face” on the ground.
Jesus was in agony. He was sorrowful enough that He thought that sorrow alone might kill Him. He fell to the ground, face buried in the dirt. Here was the Son of God coming to His Father in poverty of spirit. This was no “name it and claim it” attitude—even though no one had a greater right to such.
Sometimes all we can do is fall on our face before God. Sometimes all we should do is fall on our face before God! But, whatever our physical posture, our heart’s posture must always be one of humility. We are approaching the Great God, the Awesome God who dwells in unapproachable light. [1 Timothy 6:16]
