Watch and Pray

Jesus said, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing but the body is weak.” – Matthew 26:41

Have you ever noticed that it’s easy to fall asleep in your faith?  When it’s smooth sailing, we can nod off to God’s presence, sometimes forgetting He’s even there.  But, when we suddenly crash into craziness, something snaps us awake and we holler to God for help.

We all had different reasons for our spiritual slumber.  It may be bitterness, anger, busyness, or pride.  It may just be complacency. But eventually, thankfully, something startles us awake and we realize that we’ve been hitting the snooze button over and over.

Jesus knows how hard it is for us to stay awake in our faith.  Even His closest disciples fell asleep on the job.  On the eve of His crucifixion, while Jesus was crying out to God in the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked His best friends to do only two things: Watch and Pray. 

Three different times, however, Jesus found His friends fast asleep (Matthew 26:40-46).  Reading these passages recently, two questions popped up in my mind.

• Where were their eyes?  When Jesus told Peter, James, and John to keep watch, He was only “a stones throw away” (Luke 22:41). In the moonlight, they could’ve seen Jesus’ intense sorrow and grief.  If they’d kept their eyes on Him, they’d have realized that this was not a moment to be missed. 

• Why were they weak?  Instead of the three men coming together to pray, as Jesus had asked, each kept to himself and sat down.  Praying together would have strengthened their minds and bodies in God’s presence.  Sitting alone, however, each was overcome by the temptation to sleep.

Like Peter, James, and John, we are also friends of Jesus.  He asks us to Keep Watch and Pray everyday.  

God warns us that the enemy sets up temptations all around us.  Therefore, we are to be alert always (1Peter 5:8).  God also teaches us to pray at all times (Eph. 6:18).  And, although one of us can easily be overpowered, two can defend themselves and a cord of three strands is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Here’s your three-part action plan to stay awake in your faith:

1. Keep your eyes on Jesus to experience His presence around you
2. Pray at all times to awaken the Holy Spirit’s power within you
3. Stand together unified in prayer to live out the plans God has for you

Even though Jesus’ best friends disappointed Him three times by falling asleep, Jesus still forgave them, saying “Rise!  Let us go!” (Matt. 26:46). He does the same with us.  We are still invited to follow Him even after we mess up repeatedly. Each day is a new opportunity to keep watch and stay awake.

Now ask yourself… Today, will I keep my eyes on Jesus, wake up to His power inside of me, and live wide awake to the plans God has for me?  

If you do, you will walk toward Easter not missing a single moment with Jesus. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement