"Watch and Pray..."

I tend to interpret the scriptures a little different than most.
I'm not satisfied with the basic.
I tend to dig in to find deeper, underlying meanings.
I analyze them.
Sometimes I over-analyze them.
Sometimes I'm not always right.
Sometimes I am.
Here's what's going through my mind today.

In Matthew 26 we read the account of Christ in Gethsemane. The event itself is beautifully amazing. But there is one small event inside the record which caught my attention this morning.

Jesus KNEW what was about to take place. He was aware of the horrendous pain and agony He was about to face.

He also knew that He had to face it alone.

So, He took Peter and James and John to the Garden with Him, where He advised them to,
"watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation..." (Matt. 26:41)

Then, those disciples fell asleep.

I have heard much speculation and even criticism about the fact that these men even dared to sleep while the Son of God was left alone to face something so terrible, so horrible, so treacherous.

I see things in a different light.

These men, who were obviously faithful obeyers of their Master, whom they loved more than life itself, did just what they were told to do. I am CERTAIN that there is nothing that would have kept them from obeying this simple command. I am CERTAIN that they prayed exactly as Jesus advised them to.

I am also CERTAIN that had they been awake and alert and attentive
to all that Jesus was suffering, all that His mortal body was enduring,
all that He was praying and crying for,
out of love
they would have been TEMPTED to try to intervene
or help
or somehow lessen the pain.

It appears to me that Heavenly Father knew exactly how to answer the prayer of these diligent men.
Sound to me like Heavenly Father knew exactly how to keep them away from the temptation to intervene.
Jesus had told them
"...the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak."

Heavenly Father knew Christ had to be alone...
He knew that their spirits were caring and loving and willing to save their Lord,
so He put the men's weak flesh to sleep
in order to save the souls of the world.