Watch and pray

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." – Matthew 26.40-41

This is sad, but so human. Jesus was approaching His final hours when He asked the disciples to stay back and watch for Him while He went apart to pray. Twice He came back and found them asleep. The second time He woke them with the words ‘Couldn’t you even watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray for while the spirit may be willing the flesh is weak.’

I find here a warning and an admonition for us all. In their spirits the disciples were more than willing to do whatever Jesus asked them to do. They had proclaimed that several times through His ministry. But here, before He is even gone, He finds that their flesh was weak and they literally fell asleep on the job.

I am challenged by this because I find the same flaw in my life. I determine to do something for the Lord or to take on a task or a ministry or even just to deal with areas of my life where I battle. I have every desire and determination to carry through. But then, somehow, I find myself falling asleep on the job. I find myself failing to carry through. Or I find myself just messing it up.

I think Jesus give us a hint here on how to avoid that in two simple yet profound words – watch and pray. I need to be always on guard to the attacks and tools and devices of my enemies. I face the world around me. I face the devil in the spiritual realm. And worst of all I face my flesh. If I am not vigilant in keeping watch I will fail because my flesh is weak.

We all know that our flesh is weak. We may sense it is various ways or particular temptations, but we know it to be true. We know that if we do not watch out and pray for strength we will fail – every time.

Whatever we are facing today and whatever task we face let us take Jesus words to watch and pray to heart so that we, instead of being like the disciples, do not fall asleep on the job.