April 01, 2025
by Pastor Chuck SwindollScriptures: Mark 14:37–38
Jesus didn’t just bow once for a brief prayer in the garden and then go out to face His crucifixion. He prayed, and then He went back to the disciples. He then returned to prayer, and then once again came back to the disciples.
"Simon, are you asleep? Couldn't you watch with me even one hour? Keep
watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the
spirit is willing, but the body is weak." —Mark 14:37-38 (NLT)
Jesus didn't just bow once for a brief prayer in the garden and then go out
to face His crucifixion. He prayed, and then He went back to the disciples.
He then returned to prayer, and then once again came back to the disciples.
Three times He went back to pray. This is the movement of submission: "Not
My will, but Yours be done."
What an incredible experience that should have been for the disciples. Yet
they did not hear Him. Instead, "He found them sleeping."
Earlier Jesus had said "Watch." Now, He says to Peter, James, and John,
"Watch and pray." Why? "That you may not come into temptation." What was
that temptation? Surely it was more than just the temptation to fall asleep
again. I believe it was the very temptation that they would fall into
during the next few hours: the temptation to defect. Right now was the time
for the disciples to pray for steel in their souls.
Right now was the time for them to watch and pray, while there was no enemy
around, because when the enemy came, the temptation would be to fall away
from the Savior. Jesus told them to watch and pray so that might not happen
. . . so they would not be tempted to leave Him.
Capitalize on times of peace. Use moments of serenity to put steel in your
soul, so you won't yield when life gets hard and heavy.
You may be experiencing tremendous prosperity in your business or your
personal life. You may find yourself coasting along, and it looks like a
beautiful tomorrow. If so, let me challenge you: Right now, you are in the
perfect place to prepare yourself. Times of peace and prosperity provide
the ideal moments to equip yourself for the inevitable tests of famine and
hardship.
"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way,
take up your cross daily, and follow me." —Luke 9:23 (NLT)