The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak - Matthew 26

Good morning to my eldest daughter!  God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

   Have you ever thought about something you would like to do?  Maybe a hiking trip, quit or give up something, try something new - then it comes to mind that "my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak"?

   In my mind I may want to run the Boston Marathon; this is my spirit wanting to do so.  Then I realize my flesh, my body is too weak and unable to do so.  Maybe I want to give up bread, soda, alcohol, fatty foods, sweets, or whatever and in my mind (spirit) I make a good case for it.  Then when that temptation comes around - yep - I fall for it.  I really like bread and sweets and if they are around it is extremely difficult to resist.

   Well, in Matthew 26 Jesus had taken his disciples up to Gethsemane to pray. Just prior to this Jesus quoted the old testament - Zechariah 13:7 "........“Strike the shepherd,

    and the sheep will be scattered,......"

Then Peter says if all fall away he never will.  Jesus then tells him he will deny Jesus 3 times before the cock crows. Peter says he would die before disowning Jesus. (We know what happens here).  Peter's spirit is willing, but.........flesh is weak.

  Jesus took Peter and two sons of Zebedee up with him and told them to stay at a certain spot and pray. Jesus' words were: "Stay here and keep watch with me".  

   Jesus went a little farther, fell on his face on the ground and prayed - “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

   Notice a couple of things here. Jesus asked that this cup or torture he is about to go through be taken away, HOWEVER, not his (Jesus') will, but God the Father's will be done.  This too should be our prayer.

   Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping and asked could you not stay awake one hour?  In verse 41  41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

  Jesus goes away to pray twice more and each time he returns the disciples were asleep.  So often our mind is willing and able but our flesh is weak.  Where is your flesh weak?  What can you do to strengthen that weakness in the flesh?  Jesus prayed to the Father and the words we need to remember, thy will be done, not mine. 

   Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all. Stay strong spiritually and physically.

In Christ's Grace and Love

Johnny