Friday, July 11, 2008
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One Hour that Fills Your Day
"Could you not keep watch for one hour?" (Mark 14:37)
At the most crucial time in his life, Jesus invited his disciples to "sit here while I go over there and pray" (Matthew 26:36). That was all he asked them to do: sit. Then he took Peter, James and John a little further and asked them to "stay here and keep watch with me" (Matthew 26:38). Again, simply, stay and watch.
Now, apparently this trip to the Mount of Olives and to this particular garden was nothing out of the ordinary for Jesus and his disciples. Luke 22:40 describes it as a usual thing, so the disciples could not argue that they were thrown some kind of curve ball. At the same time, there was something very different about this time. And, for Peter, James and John, just in case they did not notice that Jesus "began to be sorrowful and troubled" (Matthew 26:37), he tells them that "my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death"! How would you like to have a friend lay that on you? Then Jesus went on a little further and fell face down on the ground and prayed himself into a place of acceptance of what it was that God was calling him to do. How did Jesus' friends do? We'll get to that in a moment.
I think that it is very important to point out that Jesus — our supreme example of the "Christ"ian life — did not only pray like this when life was difficult. Luke 5:15 tells of a time when everything was going great - Jesus fame was spreading and his popularity was growing so that multitudes of people were coming every day for teaching and to be healed. In good times and in difficult, Luke 5:16 says, "but Jesus often (as a regular habit) withdrew to lonely places and prayed." This was the key to Jesus' life and ministry - his relationship to his Father. It was in this secret place where he gained the strength that he needed to faithfully accomplish what he saw in advance that the Father was doing and wanted him to do and say that day (John 5:19-20, 8:28).
Scripture encourages us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6), so that we can live in this place of peace that God has for us.
We need to recognize that we are in a battle each and every day of our lives. Our circumstances, whether difficult or easy at this moment in time, will be used as tools in the hands of the enemy of our souls, to rob us of our peace. Do you think that sleeping in until the last possible moment and then rushing out the door to meet our day is any way to win this important battle? If that is what we are doing, we might as well stay asleep like Jesus found his disciples and concede the victory that could be ours with a little extra effort.
Three times Jesus came back and each time, he found the disciples asleep. What does he find when he comes to visit you and me? Jesus encourages us to "watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." He wants this for our benefit more than for his. He knows that our spirit will likely be willing but that our flesh will probably be weak (Matthew 26:31). It is part of the human condition. But apparently, we can do all things through him who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). So, rise a little earlier than normal. Normal will never cut it anyway. Ordinary will never win any war. Set aside an hour - that is the amount of time that Jesus suggests, I am only repeating His words! And simply sit and watch and pray and know that Jesus has gone on a little further and he is praying for us. Then wait and see what happens. This day and after a few days of pressing into it.
I promise it will be an hour that will make a huge difference in your day and eventually in your entire life! Life might even make sense and take on a deeper meaning. You might find that temptation becomes easier to overcome. And you and I will find that the battle that seemed impossible to win has already been won for us by the One who fought it first.
Jesus is asking, "Today, will you keep watch with me for one hour?"
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