“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mark 14:38, ESV
We are not always aware of the importance of our prayers, and we can become caught up in the things of life that tire us and cause us to lose focus. These words spoken by Jesus to His tired friends in the garden are a reminder of such. In hindsight, we may look at this time and not fully understand because we are given only a portion of what Jesus was praying, but the power of these prayers are evident. I am sure that they may have attempted to stay awake, but their bodies, so tired from the events of the day, were resistant. Three times they had to be awakened. I can only imagine the scene as the three men tired are sitting and keeping watch while praying as their eyes become heavy, and then in an instant, they are asleep. The scene in the movie The Passion portrayed this so beautifully. The cloud of sleep was placed upon them by Satan as Jesus was praying. The attack attempted by Satan in the garden with tempting words, but Jesus remains vigilant in His prayers as a snake winds by Him. Then, in an instant, Jesus’ foot comes down on the head of the serpent. This is what God has done for us. We are reminded not to give in to the temptations of the world and not to allow our hearts to be deceived. We are called to stand fast in the Word and not be tempted to give an inch to the lies of the Tempter. He allows our hearts and minds to become overly burdened to distraction that our hearts become vulnerable, but we are called to be more vigilant in our prayers knowing that the God who loves us hears us.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.