Arise

“Arise, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand.”  Matthew 26:46

Arise – Once before on this night Jesus asked those closest to him to take action against sleep.  “Watch with me” was His request to stay awake and intercede.  But the disciples were oblivious.  They lacked the discipline to intercede where it mattered most – in prayer.  They were able to draw a sword and strike.  They were able to run and hide.  But they were not able to enter the spiritual battle that precedes all significant action. 

Now the time for intercession is past.  That moment has slipped into history, never to be recovered.  Now Jesus asks something that they can accomplish because the request involves only bodily compliance.  “Get up.  Let’s go.”  For Jesus, the battle is already over.  For the disciples, the battle has not yet begun.  Without intercession there is no comprehension. 

Jesus is the active agent in this drama.  His leadership extends beyond the choice of response.  He initiates.  “Let’s go.  The enemy is coming.  Let’s go meet him.”  We are mistaken if we accept the Hollywood version of this event.  Jesus was not the victim of evil circumstances.  Jesus is the motivator, director and actor.  This scene is under His control.  He understood His purpose and acted in order to bring it about.  The victims in this play are those external characters who thought they were accomplishing their ends but were in fact the vehicles by which Jesus brought about God’s purposes.  Why was this possible?  Because only Jesus saw the real drama.  Everyone else saw only what was in front of him.  Without intercession there is no comprehension.

How do you lead today?  Are you the initiator, bringing about God’s purposes from any set of circumstances because you have spent the time necessary to understand His will?  Or are you one of the reactors, a victim of the situation trying your best to fend off the impending events without knowing how they fit into the unseen but eternal plan?  If Jesus is to become your role model, you must start where he starts – on your face interceding and surrendering.  There is no clarity of purpose, and no resolve to initiate, unless there has first been submission to specific action.  God’s will for us is not only a broad-brush background color on the canvas of life.  It is the specific, deliberate details of the actions of His children.  Do you want courage, conviction and control?  Go to the Garden and win the battle.  The rest is simply consequence.  After intercession, you will be able to arise (egerio) with purpose.