A Garden Friend

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Then Jesus  went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.”  He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed.  He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.  Stay here and keep watch with me.     -Matthew 26:36-38

Who do you take to the garden with you?  Jesus took 3 of his closest friends to walk with him and wait with him and keep watch for him, while he prayed.  He needed encouragement and accountability.  He trusted his friends with his pain and sorrow.  Who do you take with you to your garden, your hour or days of pain and worry and suffering?  Do you have someone in your life that you can trust?  Do you have someone in your life who will stay by you?  Who do you call out to first when something goes wrong, your spouse, a friend, a coworker, your boss?  

Equally as important as having a friend to walk with you, are you a friend who will walk with someone to her garden?  Are you willing to walk in silence and pray for someone who is suffering?  Can you go to the uncomfortable places, even the darkness of night, staying up praying and supporting your friend?  

Every person needs a friend who will walk with them to their Gethsemane, AND every person needs to be that friend to another.  Life is walking along side those we love and being open and vulnerable to let someone into our messy, imperfect lives.  Jesus was real!  He needed friends’ support just like we benefit from the support of others.  He had feelings just like we do and he was certainly willing to walk with anyone to their garden, even die for her.  

Who is on your mind?  Who do you need to thank today for walking with you?  Who do you need to encourage?