And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:40-41 KJV
As He contemplated the cross and the sin of mankind, Jesus was exceedingly sorrowful. Having told this to His disciples, He chose three: Peter, James, and John to come aside and pray with Him, while He went a little further and prayed by Himself. What a great privilege to tarry with the Lord in prayer, but on three occasions as He checked back with them instead of praying they were sleeping. There are three lessons we should learn from these verses: (1) the Lord is disappointed when we fail to tarry with Him in prayer, (2) though disappointed, He understands our weakness, I am glad for that, and (3) to be ready for unexpected temptations we must prepare ourselves through regular times of prayer.
Lord, I know I am no better than the disciples were at Gethsemane. Far too often when I know I should pray and know You want me to pray, I fail to do so: sometimes I am tired, sometimes I am in a hurry, and sometimes I just don’t want to. I am glad You are understanding, but I know I miss far more than I gain for not taking the time. Forgive my failure, thank you for Your understanding, and please help me do better.
