(Photo: The beautiful Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Md.)

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, NIV)

And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? (Matthew 26:40, ESV)

Isaiah 53:5 references Jesus being “crushed” for our iniquities. Most certainly that was what Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane—every sin committed—by me, you, all those who came before us and all who will be born after us.

The Garden at Gethsemane, a place whose name in Hebrew “Gat Shemanim” literally means “oil or olive press,” is where olives are crushed under the immense pressure to produce oil—every drop of oil. The garden of Gethsemane is located on a slope of the Mount of Olives just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. A garden of ancient olive trees stands there to this day. Jesus frequently went to Gethsemane with His disciples to pray (John 18:2). On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus went to the garden at Gethsemane to pray and where Judas later betrayed him. Each of the Gospel writers describes the events of that night with slight variations, so reading the four accounts (Matthew 26:36-56, Mark 14:32-52, Luke 22:40-53 and John 18:1-11) will give an accurate picture of that momentous night in its entirety.

In the week leading up to our Gathered in His Name Intercessory Prayer and Outreach on March 7, Andrea and I along with members of our group, had deep grief on our hearts and in our spirit concerning the war in Iran, loss of life whether children, civilians or U.S. servicemembers. I shared with Andrea that there was a night that I knelt at my bedside to pray and had no words. The grief in my spirit was so heavy that I did not know what to pray. I asked the Holy Spirit how He would have me to pray. I remained kneeled in silence for about five minutes, and then said, “Jesus, we need you.”

Andrea and I had planned a different outreach however, we were led to consider a location that would allow our group to quiet ourselves before the Lord, to hear from Him on how we should pray on this situation happening in Iran and the Middle East and its effects reverberating around the world. As Jesus did, we are seeing sin manifest in all of its horror, pain, destructive and distorting power. As Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, He felt the presence of His Father leaving Him while being crushed under the weight of the world’s sin. Jesus entered the pain of this world that night in the Garden of Gethsemane without relief from His Father. We wanted to press into that sorrow by stilling ourselves before the Lord to hear how He would lead us to pray, in a garden.

Withdrawing to the Garden to Pray

Andrea, Lina and I went to the beautiful Brookside Gardens in Wheaton near Silver Spring, Maryland. We went to the Japanese garden near the reflecting pond and tea house. The intention was to follow the pattern Jesus modeled—to withdraw to a quiet garden and watch and pray. Scripture tells us that Jesus often withdrew to the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples, as told to us in John 18:2: “Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.” (NIV) There in the Brookside Garden Japanese tea house, the three of us sat on a wooden bench in 15 minutes of quiet reflection on that damp, overcast morning, silently praying and listening for what the Lord might speak to us.

Andrea, Nicole and Lina after quiet prayer and reflection with the Lord at the Brookside Gardens.

During our time of reflection, two Canada geese were swimming in the pond nearby. One of them honked repeatedly throughout our entire prayer time. At first the sound felt annoyingly distracting, but as we continued praying, Andrea shared an observation. She has had many encounters with geese on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus and explained that geese are known for their vigilance and watchfulness.

Canada Geese swimming near the Japanese Tea House at the Brookside Gardens.

She shared that:

• Geese have excellent vision, allowing them to detect threats from a distance.
• Within a flock, one or more geese often remain alert while others rest or feed.

• When danger approaches, they sound loud calls to warn the flock. Their honking functions almost like a natural alarm system.

• During nesting season, they become especially protective and vigilant, as a sentinel, guarding their territory and mates.
• In that sense, geese behave much like watchmen, remaining alert and sounding a warning when necessary.

In the Bible we learn of God appointing watchmen on city walls to watch for danger and warn the people (See example in Ezekiel 33:7). The honking of the goose seemed to embody that same vigilance as we kept watch with Jesus and prayed. Creation itself seemed to be reminding us to stay alert in prayer.

Insights Shared After the Reflection

After our silent prayer ended, we shared the insights that came to us during that time. Andrea shared that the word that came to her mind while hearing the goose was “trumpet.” The goose’s repeated call reminded her of the trumpets in scripture, which are used to alert people and signal that something important is happening. This led her to think about the role of watchmen sounding a warning, leading to the book of the Book of Zechariah, where a key verse came to mind:

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6 (NIV)

As we reflected on the turmoil in the world—wars and conflict in places like Iran, Gaza, and Ukraine—the message felt especially clear:

The transformation the world needs will not ultimately come through military strength or political power, but through the Spirit of God working in human hearts. The Life Application Bible explains that the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection. Zechariah describes the Holy Spirit as a spirit of grace and supplication.

The Holy Spirit:

• Convicts of sin
• Reveals God’s righteousness and judgment
• Helps us to pray when we do not know what to pray

As Paul writes:

“The Spirit helps us in our weakness… the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26 (NIV)

For me, the Holy Spirit spoke two words: “cry out.” I Googled scripture references to “crying out” where I was provided with verses affirming that God hears and responds to those in distress, particularly the brokenhearted and the righteous. This was our heart posture. Some of the scriptures that surfaced included:

• “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:17-18 (NIV)
• “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.” Psalm 34:15 (NIV)
• “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Romans 8:26 (ESV)

Repentance at the Reflection Garden

After leaving the Japanese garden, we walked to the Reflection Garden, a memorial honoring those who lost their lives during the Washington, DC sniper attacks. Standing there created a quiet and sobering moment. At that time, Lina shared a powerful insight. She felt a call not only to pray about the brokenness of the world but also to repent for the ways we ourselves have hurt others or contributed to sin. Her insight led us into repentance, asking God to forgive us and purify our hearts. Ultimately, our prayer was that God would pour out His Holy Spirit more fully in the hearts of people everywhere, because real change comes when God transforms hearts.

In conclusion, we are assured that:

• We have the comfort and blessing of God with us and Jesus interceding on our behalf.
• We are to keep watch with Jesus, stay close to Him to intercede for His Kingdom to come!
• The Holy Spirit will lead us in how to pray.
• God hears and answers our cries, whether spoken or groanings.
• Even amid turbulent times, Jesus has overcome the world. Jesus assures us in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Gethsemane is painful and sorrowful. But do not underestimate the power of the light of God abiding in you. While moral and societal decay and wickedness seem to be having their way, this is not so. As Christ’s vessels, the light and new life residing in us is stronger than the darkness trying to press in. Such that the words from John 1:5 speak to the unconquerable power of such light: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (NIV)

-Nicole (with help from Andrea’s great notes!)

(Observation: Birds have appeared at each of our prayer gatherings so far this year. At the first outreach we saw three diving ducks. At the second outreach at the Bethesda Meeting House, two large raptors or vultures were soaring high above us. At this third outreach in the garden, two Canada geese joined us. It appears creation itself is quietly accompanying each gathering.)