Battle Buddies

 “And He saith unto them, ‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here and watch.”  (Mark 14:34)

A military officer was reminiscing his father’s war story of the time his close comrades, his dad referred to as his “battle buddies,” were killed in the line of duty. He alone survived the incident. That story stirred in me the significance of a battle buddy.

With His death looming before Him, Jesus sought His Father. Taking His disciples with Him, they arrived at the place called Gethsemane. He instructed some of them to stay but took Peter, James, and John and went a little further on to pray. Why were these three, often referred to as the “inner circle” of the disciples, singled out? Scripture doesn’t reveal the answer, but Peter boasted he would die for Jesus; James and John, with their mother speaking for them, asked Jesus if they could sit at His right hand and left hand in His kingdom (Matthew 20:20–21). Jesus’ action may have been a training session for them to learn that submission sometimes identifies greatness, not superiority.

Jesus, in agonizing grief, asked the three to stay and watch as He went a little further to entreat His Father. What were they to watch? His agony—not fearing death, but knowing He faced a gruesome crucifixion, bearing every sin from the beginning to the end of time for our redemption. That being horrible enough, Jesus knew our sins cast on Him would temporarily separate Him from His Father for the first time in His human existence. So, He asked His Father if there was any other way.

Jesus knew Peter, James, and John would soon miserably fail in their aspirations for “greatness.” His boastful friends failed their mission to watch and pray with Him—twice, Jesus found them asleep. Had they prayed instead of slept, they would have been better prepared to suffer with Him. Yet, Jesus didn’t leave them wallowing in their failures. After His resurrection, in lovingkindness, Jesus affirmed their forgiveness so they could go forward boldly in the work the Father called them to achieve.

Jesus didn’t need a battle buddy but asked three disciples to watch and pray with Him. God is always with us, and though we lean and depend on Him in prayer, it’s reassuring and encouraging when others pray with us and for us. Sometimes, we need a “battle buddy.” Who knows? Your battle buddy may be in training to experience God at work.