Today’s Devotion
Topic : They May Sleep, But Why Should You?
Text: Matthew 26: 36- 46
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Amen
Beloved, Jesus had taken time the past few days to explain to His disciples the suffering and agony that was ahead of Him. Each time He did so they were troubled and affected. One would expect that their deep love for Him would trigger a strong desire to intercede for Him; but it didn’t.
When the time was almost up for Christ to pay the ultimate price for our sin, He took them to a garden called Gethsemene. Judas was not with them. Just the remaining 11. He asked 8 of them to watch around the entrance of the garden while He went deeper into the garden with Peter, James and John (they were closer to Him). He told them exactly how He felt and hoped they would understand and bear Him up in prayer. But they slept. 3 times Jesus returned from praying in the deeper woods and found them sleeping.
Many of us like to discuss our problems with other believers whom we deem closer to us or even more spiritual than we are. We trust them so much to pray for us so WE GO TO SLEEP. HOPING TO WAKE UP TO A BRAND NEW DAY WHERE ALL OUR SORROWS WILL BE OVER.
HONESTLY, THAT WILL BE A VERY WRONG “MOVE”. Those precious brethren you trust, may equally sleep your problems off without an iota of guilt or remorse. See, they really may or may not even care.
It would have been a huge mistake we now know, if Jesus had gone further into the garden to sleep hoping that even if not the rest; Peter, James and John would be interceding for Him. Thank God He didnt sleep but prayed.
Beloved, understand that Jesus prayed! He prayed for Himself! 3 times He went back to God uttering the same things. His friends’ inability to bear with Him in prayer did not deter Him. He prayed to His (and our) Father, Himself.
Enough of the excuses Precious One. Rise up and walk straight to the prayer room. Our Father awaits you. Pray your anguish and fears to Him. Jesus went much deeper into the garden than all His friends and prayed more for His own destiny and assignment; you too, make sure you are praying more intensely than any of your friends bearing you up in prayer.
You can not blame your friends for sleeping while your problems last; THEIR EYES ARE HEAVY, that is not the problem. The major problem is that you want to sleep too. How can you allow your eyes to be heavy, HERE COMES THE BETRAYER.
ARISE AND PRAY. INTERCEDE FOR YOUR FAMILY, CAREER AND FOR FRIENDS WHO HAVE REQUESTED YOU BEAR THEM UP IN PRAYER. ANGELS OF HEAVEN WILL MINISTER TO YOU.
(www.yonghana.org; Like Our Facebook page : Y OUTREACH NETWORK)
