SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1290

“Are You Still Sleeping”

Then he said to them, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me… And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, So, could you not watch with me one hour?… – Matthew 26:38-46

We cannot begin to comprehend the agony that Jesus experienced in the Garden and through His crucifixion. He did it because of His love for us to make a way for our salvation and eternal life through His sacrifice.

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. – Romans 8:34

This Easter we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and as He continues to intercede for us before the Father, He also continues to ask us to watch with Him as His disciples and watchmen. Sadly, many of us are still sleeping and failing Him in this respect.

Therefore, stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” – Mark 13:35-37

To watch with Jesus is to remain alert, aware, and attuned to His heart for the lost. It means to remain diligent in spiritual integrity and to avoid becoming polluted by the world.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. – James 1:27

Watch Over Family: As parents, are we asleep and unaware of the weeds being sown in our impressionable children’s minds and hearts?

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. – Matthew 13:24-25

Are we asleep while the enemy works or are we watching with Jesus, able to sound the alarm and take action to protect our children?

His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. – Isaiah 56:10

Watch Over Others: The world is our mission field, and we encounter people in our daily activities that are perishing apart from the Lord. Are we watching with Jesus in these daily encounters, ready to share our testimony and the Gospel or are we asleep, lost in the stupor of our own rat race priorities?

Besides this you know the time that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. – Romans 13:11

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20

Watch Over Our Hearts: It is easy to get caught up in daily life in this world and run ourselves so ragged that we cannot watch with Jesus one hour. The result is that we become spiritually weak and vulnerable to the attack of the enemy.

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life; Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming… you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. – Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 24:42-44

And he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” – Luke 22:46

Watch Over the Church: When we watch with Jesus, we are an active, contributing member of the Body of Christ.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock… which he obtained with his own blood. – Acts 20:28

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. – Romans 12:10-13

Keeping watch with Jesus is like the shepherds watching over the flock at night. It means to remain vigilant in matters of the Kingdom of God for us, our loved ones and the lost.

Watching with Jesus is a matter of living a life with balanced priorities, as citizens of heaven, in this world but not of it.

Jesus is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed!

This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven; For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God… – Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16

May you keep watch with Him. He is coming soon. Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!