May 1                      Arrows of the Almighty

A Little Farther

Matthew 26:36-39 reads, "Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "sit here while I go over there and pray."  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.  Stay here and keep watch with me."  Going a little farther, he fell with his face to 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."

While I was reading this passage, the phrase "Going a little farther..." captivated my thinking.  What a poignant picture it presents to us.  After eating the Passover meal Jesus and his disciples crossed from the temple mount over the Kidron valley to the Garden of Gethsemane.  He asked most of His disciples to wait while he went off to pray; but He invited Peter, James and John to go farther with him.  He wanted their friendship and support; he needed to confide in them.  He then invited them to "Stay here" and keep watch with him.  Then come those four little words, "Going a little farther..." 

I wonder why Jesus invited them to go with him and then asked them to stay where they were while he went on farther.  I don't know for sure.  Yet there is a point here; that Jesus himself, kept on going a little farther.  After all the others stopped, Jesus continued on "a little farther". 

Isn't that the way it always is with our Lord?  When mankind can't go on, God always goes just a bit farther.  When we reach the limit of our strength and endurance God continues on.  When I am out of strength, Christ carries me onward.  When I am out of patience, Christ goes on a little farther.  When I am out of hope, Christ goes on a little farther.  "When I am faithless, God remains faithful.  He cannot deny Himself." (2Tim. 2:13)  He doesn't give up on me.

But there's another point that is equally as important, not nearly as comforting, and much more challenging for you and me: we are asked to be like Him.  That means there are times in my life when God wants me to "go on a little farther".  I have character traits that need to be changed by surrender to His Presence as I "go a little farther" with Him.  We have a tendency to quit too soon.  We don't press onward to the heart of the battle.  You have your theology straight, your thinking right, go a little farther with Him.  Resist the temptation to criticize.  Express your care and love a little more.  Let love have its full expression.  Be more patient with others.  Go a bit farther!  Emulate the Lord Himself! 

"My God, with your strength, I shall go yet a little farther in caring for those you have put in my life.  Because of Christ I pray.  Amen."