Read: Judges 4:1-5:31, Luke 22:35-53, Psalm 94:1-23, Proverbs 14:3-4

 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.” (Luke 22:46)

Relate: Ever had a job where you felt you were pulling your own weight as well as dragging someone else along too? I had a job for part of my sophomore year in college where it was me and one other guy doing maintenance. Don’t get me wrong, he was a really nice guy, he had a great sense of humor that he put into practice the entire six hour shift every day… but he wasn’t the most efficient worker. I think it would be generous to say he did 25% of the job that the two of us were supposed to do together. 10% would probably be closer. He would just talk and talk and talk, joke around, get sidetracked, and I would pick up his slack and keep us moving.

To be fair, there have definitely been times where I am the slacker. On things like mindless, manual labor I can keep plodding along but when it comes to administrative work… don’t count on me. If you’re waiting for a phone call or an email from me… keep waiting. Sometime, possibly, maybe, (probably not) I’ll get around to it. Communication, administration… those aren’t my forte. I just don’t like doing them so all to often, to my own detriment, I simply don’t.

React: If I was there in the Garden of Gethsemane that night with Jesus, I probably would have been asleep too. It’s nice to think it would be otherwise but I do have to be realistic. How is my prayer life? When was the last night I sacrificed a night of sleep to spend time with the Father? From what I see, Jesus did it on a fairly regular basis and this probably wasn’t the first time the disciples were around when he did. Besides it had been a pretty eventful week. A lot had been going on. They were exhausted. Sometimes the best and godliest thing we can do is shut off the TV, log off of the computer, and go to bed. This was not one of those times. On what could have been the most critical hour of the disciples prayer life, they were caught sleeping on the job. How will I know if the next time God is calling me to pray through in my own life will not be the same? Will I also get caught sleeping on the job? Again?

Respond: 

God, help me to stay awake. Help me to be sober and vigilant. There is a calling I need to fulfill. There is a task I need to perform. There is a prayer I need to pray, but all too often I am asleep on the job. Please, please do not my laziness prevent me from being and doing all that You have called for me. Let a passion for You burn through anything that might pull me aside from obedience or Your presence.