Spiritual Steroid
An hour of prayer is almost unheard of among most Christians of our day! Life is busy, so many distractions, not enough time in the day, right? One hour of prayer? Can't do it! But, what if you knew that just hours from now you would face a trial which would tempt you to utterly deny Jesus? Would that do anything to cause us to see our need for an of prayer? Hopefully...and, that is one of the lessons we can learn from this area of scripture in Matthew 26.
Jesus was facing the "cup of the wrath of God", about to go to the Cross and die for the sins of the world. While He would go and wrestle with the Father 3 times, He beckoned these 3 to watch with Him and pray, as well. Only He found that they fell asleep all 3 times that He checks on them! Why didn't they stay awake and pray? Maybe they see their need for prayer? Of course they did didn't n't know that in a matter of hours, they would all face the greatest temptation that they would know up to that point. And Peter would face the greatest hour of humiliation that he would ever know, as well. So, in verse 40-41, Jesus gives them (us) some very important words concerning prayer and it's role in our lives concerning trials and temptations.
But first, we can identify with the disciples in their weakness, can't we? Jesus asks them to watch and pray and we find them sleeping. All too familiar description of our own lives. We all have good intentions and all believe in the power of prayer, no doubt...but, like Peter, James and John, we can find ourselves faultering when it comes to spending significant times of prayer. In v. 40, Jesus asks His disciples this simple question after He finds them asleep, "Couldn't you watch with me even one hour?" This question must have hurt them to hear...Jesus was right, just one hour of prayer!?! How true that many of us hear the same question arise from the heart of God, as well? But, Jesus had a reason for them to spend that time in prayer, and He reveals that in v. 41.
"Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!"
Jesus' desire for them to watch and pray was not for His benefit. It was for theirs! Here's the interesting connection that Jesus makes between prayer/prayerlessness and spiritual strength/physical weakness...the first effects the latter. If we pray, we can have the spiritual power to NOT give in to temptation! What was their temptation at that moment? Maybe it was what we find in the following verses after Jesus' arrest. We find Peter and ultimately the rest deny Jesus! Of course Peter's was the most obvious and public (as everything Peter did was that way). But ultimately, all of them would deny Him and be scattered in shame. Was it possible that although they had no idea what was to come and how they would respond, Jesus did, and He was wanting for them to find strength to endure through prayer? I say "YES"! To the disciples (and us), they didn't see their need for prayer. They had no idea of the trial that was to come upon them! But, Jesus did...and, His call to them to pray was for a purpose! It was to give them spiritual power so that they would not fall into temptation!
How powerful this insight is for our own lives! Could it be that all of those prompting from the Lord to pray were because He knew that I would need spiritual strength for a coming temptation? Could it be that Jesus desires for us to watch and pray with Him, not just because "He says so!", but because He desires for us not to give in to temptation and suffer the ramifications of sin's fallout? This makes prayer so much more than just "talking to God", which it is. And, so much more than just "laying out my laundry list of requests", although God loves to hear from us anyway. But, prayer is our source for spiritual strength! The body is weak, amen!? But, the Spirit is willing and when we pray He gives us what we need to overcome temptation and walk in victory! I love this fact! It gives significant times of prayer a meaningful purpose in my life. I find it true that i don't really pray unless i feel my need for God, don't you? So, this account can help us learn to trust God in that "hours of prayer" are not spent in vain...they are doses of spiritual steroids meant to empower us to stand strong in the faith and live a victorious life! Could you and i find ourselves in a trial which tempts us to deny Jesus? Oh no, we say like Peter..."I would never deny you, Jesus...I would die for You!" Careful...we all know what happened to Peter! Jesus knows that prayer is needed. Those hours spent wrestling with the Father just may be where He found His strength?
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