Watch and Pray

Mt. 26:41

Watch and pray that you many not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but he flesh is weak.

Jesus, being sorrowful and troubled, went to Gethsemane with Peter and the two sons of Zebedee for the express purpose of praying. After asking His disciples to watch with Him, he went a little ways away and opened His heart to the Father. My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. What Grief and pain! His soon-to-be task was overwhelming. Just the contemplation of it was agonizing, but thankfully, He had His disciples there with Him to come alongside Him and support Him. NOT! When Jesus came back to them, they were sleeping! Jesus asked them a very pointed question.  So you could not watch with me one hour? What a question? One hour...could they stay awake to fish or to eat, or any countless number of other activities? The answer would no doubt be yes, but to pray was a different story. Jesus says watch and pray. These two activities are of ultra importance if temptation is to be avoided. What is the temptation Jesus is exposing? Is it prayerlessness, apathy, self-indulgence, or sleeping?  I imagine all of these apply in this situation. Perhaps the point is that if I am unaware and take the path of least resistance (sleeping), whatever the temptation is will have control. Again Jesus went away to pray. My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done. Again Jesus came back and found them sleeping. Apparently, His earlier rebuke had not pricked their hearts at all. So Jesus left and went and prayed again a third time, saying the same words again. When He came back, He woke them because the time was at hand. The betrayer would do His deed.

What I see in this account is the great power of the flesh! The disciples could not shake it off. Sleep had reduced them to powerless pawns whose hearts were dead to the great agony of Jesus. I am sure that in a wakeful state, they would not have chosen to act like this, but when watching and prayer are abandoned, what you least expect takes you over. I can't follow Jesus on auto-pilot! I must ever be constantly watching and praying. Secondly, I see Jesus praying the same thing three times. His heart was so burdened and heavy that He had to express it to His Father repeatedly. Even though He did not like or want this cup, He submitted to the will of the Father. Many times the will of the Father is a bitter cup that is heinous to drink, but like Jesus, I must drink because the Father's will must be obeyed. Like Jesus I must learn obedience by submitting. What a salvation was gained by Jesus' bitter cup! What lessons come from my bitter cup as well! God's will is always for my good and for my holiness!

Thirdly, I am reminded that sleep if often a great deterrent to prayer. Does praying in bed really work? No wonder Matthew stresses praying in a closet (no bed there, probably not even a chair!) The point is this: watch and pray. Be alert to want is happening! Keep my connection to the Father always in place!

Father,

Thank You for being there for me in the rough times when my heart is burdened beyond belief. Thank You for listening to my same heart cries. Give me Your grace to help me submit to the hard things. Teach me more about watching and praying.

In His name,

Amen