Informing Decision-Making with Jesus' Prayer in Gethsemane
Informing Decision-Making with Jesus' Prayer in Gethsemane
Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane is a pivotal moment in the Gospels, demonstrating how to align one's will with God's in times of uncertainty and distress. As recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus prayed, "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42; cf. Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36). This prayer exemplifies seeking God's guidance and will, a theme echoed throughout biblical teachings on decision-making.
The Bible encourages believers to seek God's direction in their decisions. Proverbs 2:3 exhorts, "Yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding" [3]. Jeremiah 42:3 expresses a similar sentiment, "Pray that the LORD your God will tell us the way we should walk and the thing we should do" [1]. These passages underscore the importance of prayer in navigating life's choices.
In Gethsemane, Jesus models this prayerful approach to decision-making. His prayer is characterized by submission to God's will, illustrating that true decision-making involves aligning one's desires with God's purposes. This alignment is facilitated through prayer, as seen in Jesus' own practice and as encouraged in various biblical passages [2].
The early Christian community continued this practice, praying for guidance and wisdom. The apostle Paul's writings reflect this, as he requests prayer for clarity and direction in his ministry (Colossians 4:3) [4]. The biblical emphasis on seeking God's will through prayer is thus not limited to Jesus' example but is a broader theme in Christian practice.
Reformed and Puritan traditions have particularly emphasized the role of prayer in decision-making. Calvin's commentary on Philippians highlights the importance of seeking divine guidance [5]. Similarly, Matthew Henry's commentary on Isaiah notes the value of consulting God's word and seeking His direction in times of uncertainty [6, 7].
Sources
- Jeremiah “Jeremiah 42:3 (BSB) — Pray that the LORD your God will tell us the way we should walk and the thing we should do.””
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- Proverbs “Yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; -- Proverbs 2:3”
- Colossians “Colossians 4:3 (DRC) — Praying withal for us also, that God may open unto us a door of speech to speak the mystery of Christ (for which also I am bound):”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 84.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1 1:26 3:22 9:6 9:6 9:6 14:13 Exodus 7:11 14:13 14:31 32:32 Leviticus 19:14 Deuteronomy 7:7-8 10:17 13:3 1 Kings 19:18 Job 4:18 Psalms 7:8 35:19 37:5 55:22 55:22 69:28 73:1-12 122:6 128:2 137:6 138:8 138:8 145:18 Proverbs 3:5 5:15 8:36 10:4 Ecclesiastes 9:3 Isaiah 11:4 26:9 30:15 30:21 33:22 42:1 45:23 48:11 50:5 53:1 55:11 55:13 60:2 60:2 60:2 64:8 Jeremiah 5:8 17:9 23:29 31:33 Ezekiel 11:20 Daniel 12:2 Hosea 1:10-11 Amos 9:36 Zechariah 14:8 Malachi 4:2 Matthew 5:11 5:14 5:15 ”
- Isaiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Isaiah 40:3: The time to favour Zion, yea, the set time, having come, the people of God must be prepared, by repentance and faith, for the favours designed them; and, in order to call them to both these, we have here the voice of one crying in the wilderness, which may be applied to those prophets who were with the captives in their wilderness-state, and who, when they saw the day of their deliverance dawn, called earnestly upon them to prepare for it, and assured them that all the difficulties which stood in the way of their deliverance should be got over. It is a good sign t”
- Isaiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Isaiah 45:11: The people of God in captivity, who reconciled themselves to the will of God in their affliction and were content to wait his time for their deliverance, are here assured that they should not wait in vain. I. They are invited to enquire concerning the issue of their troubles, Isa 45:11. The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, though he does not allow them to strive with him, yet encourages them, 1. To consult his word: "Ask of me things to come; have recourse to the prophets and their prophecies, and see what they say concerning these things. Ask the watchmen, Wha”