While Good Men Sleep - by Pastor Phil Harris of Epikos Church in Bend, OR

Too Tired to Care
At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.” - Luke 22:45-46

The disciples were tired, they knew something was up but couldn't put their finger on what, exactly it was. No matter; Jesus had told them to bring their swords so it must be now! Now they would finally see what they had been waiting all this time to see, Jesus was going to usher in the Kingdom of God and route the Romans and He was going to use them to do it! But as the night drug on and nothing seemed to happen but praying, they grew weary. Pray, pray, pray; that's all we ever get to do. When will the action start, when will we get to fight and kill Romans? The night dragged on Jesus was praying, the Devil was working, Judas was betraying, God was weeping and the disciples were sleeping. 

While Good Men Sleep
Jesus knew what was about to happen and he told them to pray so they would be able to withstand fear and temptation. But- they didn't and they couldn't because they wouldn't - pray. Prayer could have kept Peter from denying, prayer could have kept Matthew and Mark from running, prayer could have kept them all from fearing. But it didn't because they wouldn't. Things go wrong when good men sleep while they should be praying.

A Prayer for Help
Father, so often prayer is the last thing on my priority list. I claim it to be first but it so often falls last. Please forgive me Lord and bring me to the place where I see prayer for what it truly is, spending time with the one who knows me best and loves me most. I want prayer to be a delight.  Give me the grace to press through the discipline into delight.

I love you Father

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