“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’ 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.’ Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.’ And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.’” Matthew 26:39-46
Peter, James, and John slept while Jesus prayed. Later that evening Jesus boldly confronts the mob that came to arrest him while Peter, James and John fled. If they had prayed instead of sleeping, would their response have been different? One thing is certain; they would have been more responsive to the agony of Jesus. Jesus took them with him further into the garden that night and asked them to watch while he prayed.
The word “watch” used here and in many other places in the Bible is a form of the Greek word “gregoreo” and it means “to be awake, to watch”. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says that this word means “to live, be alive on earth”. Thayer’s further states, “Metaphorically, to watch i. e. give strict attention to, be cautious, active: — to take heed lest through remissness and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one, Matthew 24:42; Matthew 25:13; Mark 13:35,(37); Revelation 16:15; or lest one be led to forsake Christ, Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; or lest one fall into sin, 1 Thessalonians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 3:2f; or be corrupted by errors, Acts 20:31.”
It is important that as Christians we “stay awake and pray” because even though our spirits are often willing and we have good intentions, the flesh is weak and we are prone to fall asleep on the job. Peter is an example for us on this night of Jesus’ arrest. After boldly proclaiming that he was ready to die with the Lord, Peter denied the Lord three times. Did Peter remember Jesus’ words to him in the garden, “watch and pray”?
It is always amazing to me how we seem to “sleepwalk” through our lives. We see examples of it all around us in these days of pandemic. We will put on a mask and go to the grocery store; we will put on a mask and order take out food; we may even put on a mask and go to a ball game. We can do all those things, but we will not put on a mask and go to the church assembly. Why is that so? Are we asleep? Have we forgotten to watch and pray?
I am reminded of a verse from the song “Excuses”: “…a backache Sunday morning, and a headache Sunday night, but by work time Monday morning, you’re feeling quite all right. Why, one of the children has a cold, pneumonia do you suppose? Why the whole family had to stay home just to blow that poor kid’s nose.” Are we awake or asleep? Are we watching or are we dozing? Watch and Pray!!
Scott Gage