Sunday, November 10, 2013

Are we sleeping when we should be praying?


Christ, when facing the biggest trial of His life in Gethsemane, asked His disciples to join together in prayer. Unfortunately, they failed to do this, being too sleepy, and because of this suffered great loss. In fact, we are told, “It was in sleeping when Jesus bade him watch and pray that Peter had prepared the way for his great sin [the sin of denying Christ three times]. All the disciples, by sleeping at that critical hour, sustained great loss.”[i]

What loss might God’s work be sustaining today because we are scared, or too sleepy, to come together to watch and pray?

Thankfully, what the disciples failed to do that night in Gethsemane, they learned to do from then on. We are told, “After his death, the disciples often prayed together in the place where they assembled for worship; they also resorted to the temple at the hour of prayer.”[ii] 

Satan knows how powerful united prayer is! It’s no surprise that he’s working overtime to keep God’s people from coming together in unity to pray!

"There is need of a strong and united influence to co-operate with the Captain of our salvation in taking the spoil from the power of the enemy, and making men and women free in Christ. Shall we not every one seek to stimulate others to work for fallen man? Pray earnestly, unitedly, perseveringly, for spiritual power. The fountain of grace and knowledge is ever flowing. It is inexhaustible. It is from this abundant fullness that we are supplied."[iii]

Today let’s seek to embrace the gift God has given us in prayer, for truly, it is one of our most powerful tools for helping finish the work.


[i] Desires of Ages, p. 714
[ii] Signs of the Times, Aug 14, 1884, par 11
[iii] Signs of the Times, Aug 14, 1884, par 11

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