Stay Awake

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

--Matthew 26:41  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on February 8, 2013 of Psalm 31:1-13; Matthew 26:31-56; Exodus 24-25.

The hour was just about upon Him.  At this point, Judas was heading out with an armed guard behind him to betray Jesus and have Him arrested.  Jesus knew this was coming and felt weary and more than a little depressed.  So He did what many of us do, and all of us should do, when sad and depressed: He went off to pray.  He took Peter and John and James and asked them to wait while He went off a little further alone.  He returned to find them sleeping and woke them with the words of today's scripture verse.  This admonition was not intended just for these three disciples, but for all of us.  Sometimes we tend to go through this life almost as if we are asleep, nearly oblivious to what goes on around us, unaware even of what we ourselves may be doing.  In that state, it is very easy for Satan to slip in a little temptation here and there, slowly luring us away from Jesus without our realizing it until eventually we are completely lost.  Our hearts, our spirits, might be firmly fixed on Christ our Savior, but our bodies, our lust for things of the flesh and earthly pleasures provide a foothold for Satan.  So stay awake, watch and pray constantly, so we are not tempted and drawn away from the One we love.

Blessed Jesus, thank you for providing us with a wake-up call and a warning to be ever alert.  Satan prowls like a lion, just looking for easy prey.  Help us stay awake, teach us to pray, that we may not fall under the evil one's temptations.  In the name of Jesus I ask and pray.  Amen.