READING: Matthew 26:36-75, Mark 14:32-72, Luke 22:39-71, John 18:1-27
“They did not know what to say to him.”
Mark 14:40
I had never seen these words before. I’ve read them many times—but for some reason, they had not halted my reading like they did today. Jesus had taken some of His disciples to the Mount of Olives to pray, and He asked them to stay alert and pray, lest they fall into temptation. His directions to them were clear, but they nevertheless fell asleep. The strain of those days of conflict had been too much for them. They were emotionally and physically exhausted.
In fact, He had found them sleeping once, and He spoke directly to Peter, their leader: “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake one hour?” (Mark 14:37). Surely they would stay awake now, but that was not the case. Jesus again found them sleeping not long after He had spent more time with the Father: “And again he came and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open” (Mark 14:40). Then, the next words of verse 40 are the ones I had not considered deeply before today: “They did not know what to say to him” (Mark 14:40).
I’ve been there.
I knew better, still I chose to do wrong against God, He convicted me—and I did not know what to say. I worried to the point of idolatry, God disciplined my heart—and I did not know what to say. I claimed to trust God until His plans veered from what I thought they should be, He showed me my lack of faith—and I did not know what to say. I struggled with self-condemnation, God reminded me of how much He loves me—and I did not know what to say.
Indeed, I don’t have much to say today except, “Thank You, Lord.”
ACTION STEPS:
- If/when you sin today, don’t defend your actions before God. We have nothing to say.
- Thank God that He loves us even when we fail.
PRAYER: “God, I realize today that I have nothing I can say to explain my sinfulness. Thank You for loving me in my silence.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Matthew 27:1-31, Mark 15:1-20, Luke 23:1-25, John 18:28-19:16