In the last article of this series, we considered the starting point of every sin. Now, we will see how quickly our practical life is influenced by our condition of heart.
“And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?” (Matthew 26:40)
The Lord Jesus went with His disciples into the garden of Gethsemane. There, He had specifically taken Peter, James, and John with Him to pray, especially concerning the time of suffering and death that lay ahead of Him. He said to them: My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death; Stay here and watch with me (V 38).
The Lord was looking for hearts to watch with Him! He seeks their fellowship in the hours when He had the sufferings of the cross so strongly before Him. But what happens? The disciples fall asleep while He is praying! How painful it must have been for the Lord to see that they couldn’t watch with him even in such a difficult hour. He must rebuke Peter, saying: What! Could you not watch with me for one hour?
But what exactly does it mean to watch? It is a serious and deliberate participation in the Lord’s circumstances. It is a matter of the heart; it shows a heart that is occupied with Him! On the other hand, it also shows a heart that is aware of the temptations of Satan. This heart knows that the devil will never miss an opportunity to prevent God’s plans and destroy fellowship with Him.
But Peter is no longer able to watch with the Lord. He had no more spiritual strength to watch with Him, not even for an hour. On the contrary, he was tired and fell asleep. Don’t we also have to confess that we often lack the spiritual strength to watch? How often is it also the case with us that we cannot even spend an hour concentrating on the Lord Jesus?
This can even be true on Sunday morning when we want to announce His death. Then we have difficulty following the words of the hymns and prayers in our minds and keeping our minds with the Lord. How quickly thoughts arise that have nothing to do with the Lord and His sufferings.
Thoughts like this don’t have to be evil, but they pull us away from the Lord. So, we must learn to focus our thoughts and ask the Lord specifically for help. The less we are occupied with other things, the more intensely we will experience the time with the Lord in adoration.
We want to learn from Peter and be encouraged with Luke 12:37: Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, will find watching! He’s coming soon, that’s for sure, and so the question remains: are you sleeping or are you watching?
