Friday’s Devotion: The Flesh is Weak

Matthew 26:40-41 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?  Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  

I’ve heard the last part of this scripture quoted before and for some reason I associated it with Paul instead of Jesus.  I guess because Paul wrote about his struggles with the flesh and I don’t associate weakness with Jesus.  After all, Jesus resisted the temptation in the wilderness.  Yet in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that if possible the cup that he was facing would be taken from him.  This endears Jesus to me even more.  It helps me realize that even the Holy Son of God really did struggle with those very human emotions.  I know that many times we resolve to behave in a way that we know would be pleasing to God, but somehow even though we truly want to do that, we feel we may have failed to do so.  We let unkind words or resentments slip in.  We refuse to forgive, or avoid people who could use our help.  We don’t share our resources and miss opportunities to introduce people to God.  Jesus died on Good Friday not so that we could continue to be selfish, unkind, bitter, resentful or downright sinful.  Jesus died so we could find strength not just in the knowledge that forgiveness and salvation would be possible but in the power of the Holy Spirit to help us turn around and do better.  Yet Jesus still understands, the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Lord God, help us each day to be kinder, more giving and less resentful of our circumstances or of others.  May the great love poured out in the blood of Jesus on the cross inhabit our very beings and bring us closer to you.  We ask in His precious name. Amen.