Watch Ye and Pray

This morning I was reading from Matthew and Mark about Jesus’s time in the Garden of Gethsesame, where He battled with His human self and the purpose for which He came.

In the past, I’ve focused on His battle; the submission of His human will not to go through the painful experience of the cross. I’ve thought of the love He feels for ME to have gone through all this so I could be saved.

This time, I focused on the inability of Peter, James, and John to stand watch with Him as He prayed.

They could not even pray with Him.

They gave in to their tiredness.

I know it was the middle of the night. They were exhausted. I get that. Yet, Jesus, who was facing His greatest trial of His human life and asked them to watch and pray with Him.

And they couldn’t.

He was alone in that hour.

It reminds me of Paul when he was writing Timothy the second time. He mentions that he is there alone. Everyone has left. He knows his life is almost over. When he stands trial for his faith, no one stands with him.

In the upcoming days, those who will be among the 144K to be translated will also go through their own Gethsesame experience.

We will have to submit to God’s will: ‘Not my will, but Thine.’

We will have to be able to stand alone with no earthly support. (Rev 13:17) *This is about buying and selling, but if we cannot participate in society as others, we will be standing alone. We must reach the point where we are firm in our own faith, not dependent on someone else. No one gets to heaven on someone else’s shirttail.

We cannot develop this type of faith on our own. It’s through trials that our faith develops. We can pray that God will continue His work in us, to prepare us for the upcoming time of trouble.

Remember, there is no secret escape. The Bible is very clear that the time of trouble ahead will be like nothing else in history. (Dan 12:1-2)

We are told the same thing today, watch and pray.

Instead, many are spiritually sleeping. When they awake, it will be too late to prepare. They will miss out on the Lamb’s wedding feast. Why? Because they were not watching and praying.

I urge each reader to seek God’s will in all things. To be watchful and pray for God’s wisdom and guidance; His strength to walk in obedience.

 

Something to think about.