Welcome back to The Living, a space created to help you encounter God in your everyday life, be with Him, and find life right where you are. Today is Monday, March 23rd, and we are in the season of Lent, journeying with Jesus in the scriptures in the final week of his life. This week we step into the garden. We step into Gethsemane. We're at the night before the cross. Pressure is building, the weight of what's coming is becoming incredibly real. And in this moment, we get a glimpse into how Jesus lives under pressure. Before we dive into today's lectio and pray through the scriptures, let's simply begin by becoming aware of today. In this moment, I invite you to take a slow breath in and gently exhale. Again, a slow breath in and exhale. Today, I simply invite you to notice where you are. Notice your body, notice your surroundings, notice your breath. In this moment, you do not need to rush. There's no reason to perform. Just become aware. I am here, and so is God. You may even ask him, Jesus, would you meet me in this moment? Today we are invited into the Garden of Gethsemane. This week we'll be looking at this garden narrative in different Gospels. Today we start in Luke chapter twenty two, verses thirty-nine through forty-one. Today we'll read through this passage four different times, each time with a different goal. The first reading, we will simply read it and listen. Next, we'll reflect. Then we'll respond, and finally we'll take a moment to rest. So on this first reading, I invite you to simply listen. No pressure to analyze. Just listen. Luke 22, 39 through 41. Coming out, he went out to the Mount of Olives, as he was accustomed, and his disciples also followed him. When he came to the place, he said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and he knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. Take a moment just to sit with today's reading. As I read the passage again, this is an opportunity to reflect. Simply ask Holy Spirit to highlight a word or a phrase to you regarding this moment in the garden. Coming out, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives as he was accustomed, and his disciples also followed him. When he came to the place, he said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and he knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. As I read this passage again, I invite you to listen for God's invitation for you. To help you respond, you might ask, Where do I go when life feels heavy? What rhythms have I built with God? Do I have a place to meet with Him? Coming out, he went to the Mount of Olives, as he was accustomed, and his disciples also followed him. When he came to the place, he said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and he knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. I invite you today to respond and speak honestly with the Lord. For this final reading, I invite you to simply rest today. Coming out, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives as he was accustomed, and his disciples also followed him. When he came to the place, he said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and he knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. Now rest in the presence of God. As I reflected on today's passage, something really stood out to me in a fresh way. Luke tells us that Jesus went to the Mount of Olives as he was accustomed. This wasn't a last-minute decision. It was a place that he had been before. This was a place of prayer, a place of connection, a place for Jesus where he would regularly meet with the Father. And so when the pressure came, he returned to what he had already built. Believe that's the invitation for us today. That we don't wait until life is overwhelming to learn how to be with God. But we build those rhythms right here, right now, just like this, so that when pressure does come, we already know where to go. Let's pray together. Jesus, thank you that even in your final moments, you show us how to live under pressure. Lord, I pray that you continue to teach us how to build rhythms with you in the ordinary moments of our lives. Also when the pressure builds, when life gets heavy, so that we know where to go. Today, if there is pressure, Lord, we come to you, we cast all of our cares on you, knowing that you care for us. Thank you, Lord. We pray this in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Today, go in his presence, rest in his love. This is the living. We'll continue tomorrow.