Stay Awake!

Hi there, thanks for joining us for today's reading from the Our Daily Bread devotional. It was written by Marvin Williams, and he's titled it, Stay Awake. A German bank employee was in the middle of transferring 62 euros and 40 cents from a customer's bank account when he accidentally took a power nap at his desk. He dozed off while his finger was on the to key, resulting in a 222 million euro, 300 million dollar, transfer into the customer's account. The fallout from the mistake included the firing of the employee's colleague, who verified the transfer.

Although the mistake was caught and corrected, because he hadn't been watchful, the sleepy employee's lapse almost became a nightmare for the bank. Jesus warned his disciples that if they didn't remain alert, they too would make a costly mistake. He took them to a place called Gethsemane to spend some time in prayer. As he prayed, Jesus experienced a grief and sadness such as he'd never known in his earthly life. He asked Peter, James, and John to stay awake, to pray, and keep watch with him, but they fell asleep. Their failure to watch him pray would leave them defenseless when the real temptation of denying him came calling. In the hour of Christ's greatest need, the disciples lacked spiritual vigilance. May we heed Jesus' words to remain spiritually awake by being more devoted to spending time with him in prayer.

As we do, he'll strengthen us to resist all kinds of temptations and avoid the costly mistake of denying Jesus. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is a sober passage from Matthew chapter 26, verses 36 through 46. Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, sit here while I go over there and pray. He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.

Stay here and keep watch with me. Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, My Father, if it is possible, may this cop be taken from me, yet not as I will, but as you will. Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.

Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour, he asked Peter. Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away a second time and prayed, My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done. When he came back, he again found them sleeping because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.

Rise, let us go, here comes my betrayer. Now let's go to that same Jesus in prayer. Dear Jesus, we know that to have healthy relationships, it requires open and honest communication, and that same truth holds true for you. And to be honest, in the busyness of our lives, we often forget to pray and commune with you.

And when we do, we stop depending on you. So Lord today, would you help us to remain spiritually awake and depend on you in every moment? Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. Thank you so much for listening. My name is Wes Ward, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.