A Lonely Vigil. Mark 14:37-42.
And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. “And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. “Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Dear Holy Nation,
Jesus was immersed in prayer while even his closest companions slept.
Tension (v. 37-38). Jesus advised the three friends to “Watch and pray” so that they would not enter into temptation is a call to stay awake and prayerful. Watch here is an idiom for staying awake, as soldiers on night watch were expected to. His statement that “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” is a caution against reliance on one’s own strength, because we may have the best of intentions but fail because we have a natural tendency, because of our sinful nature, to yield to temptation.
Threat (v. 39-40). There are two possibilities why the disciples were unable to stay awake, and both may apply. The first is that they were not fully aware of the threat facing Jesus. A normal person would hardly be able to sleep if his or the life of a close friend was in danger. The disciples were in denial and simply would not accept that Jesus could be killed. The other is the work of the devil. In the most critical of times, the enemy makes them sleepy, so that they are unable to pray. The time when we are least inclined to pray may be the time we need to pray earnestly.
Time (v. 41-42). The hour of trial was upon them and they were not ready. In moments the betrayer would be upon them but had not prayed, they had no inner strength to confront the situation at hand. Time will not wait for us, we must be alert and redeem all we can. If you can pray now, do not put it off until another time. That time may be the hour of trial.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.