Watching or Sleeping?

 

“Are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

—Mark 14:37-38

As the time of His crucifixion drew near, Jesus knew the terror ahead for Himself. He needed His closest friends to stand with Him. He needed them to watch over Him and pray with Him for the strength only God could give.

Yet, the disciples, while they had heard Jesus speak of the danger coming, never really took it to heart. They never comprehended the suffering that Jesus would have to endure, as He gave His life on the cruel Roman cross of torture.

Yes, Peter made bold promises about his loyalty to Jesus. But, when it really came time to show up and stand firmly at Jesus’ side, Peter failed.

Over and over in the verses of Scripture, Jesus has warned us, too, of the days to come. These days will not be days of ease, but of trouble. He has said that bad times will come upon the world before He returns to earth for the second time.

As Christians, we largely follow the direction of the culture in which we live. We watch awhile and feign interest and devotion. But then, like the rest of the society in which we live, we sleep, rather than standing guard over our lives, warning others, and preparing for Christ’s appearance.

In a Lenten Devotional, Biola University Emeritus Professor of Art, Barry Krammes, shares the likeness of the Western Church to a cruise ship where professionals entertain and meet our every desire, rather than a battleship engaged in prayer and spiritual warfare. He writes: ¹

These days I often feel like a drowsy disciple, or a virgin without any oil, sleepwalking through thick fog—trying to make sense of what’s happening around me. Yet, in moments of clarity I realize that now is the time to wake up and put my house in order. Hebrews 12:1-2 admonishes us:

“Stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith.”

When Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days at the beginning of his ministry, He engaged in spiritual warfare. When He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane near the end of His life, He also engaged in spiritual warfare.

In like manner, Jesus has given us the task of preparing ourselves for the days ahead by engaging our minds and hearts and churches in the warfare battle against evil in our world. He has made it clear that He does not want us sleeping.

If Jesus returned to earth today, would he find us watching, praying, then moving out onto the field of spiritual battle? Or, would he find us asleep and unaware of the dangers, like His twelve disciples were in the Garden of Gethsemane?

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1 Krammes, Barry. The Lent Project—Online Devotional: “The Spirit is Willing, but the Flesh is Weak.” La Mirada, California: Biola University, Center for Christianity, Culture and the Arts, February 27, 2021.