By Andrew Williams
“Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, ‘Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!’” – Matthew 26:40-41 (NLT)
Good morning fellow disciples.
In this passage, Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane, moments before His arrest. He is carrying the weight of the world’s sin and asks His disciples to watch and pray with Him. However, He finds them asleep. Although their spirits may have desired to be faithful, their physical weakness caused them to fail in this critical moment. Jesus gently rebukes Peter and reminds him of the importance of staying spiritually alert and prayerful to resist temptation. This moment is a call to all disciples to remain steadfast in prayer, even when it’s difficult, recognizing that our strength comes from God, not ourselves.
Peter’s struggle to stay awake mirrors our own human frailty. How often do we, with good intentions, desire to stay close to Jesus but give in to spiritual lethargy or distraction? Jesus’ words here empower us to redirect our focus from relying on our own strength to relying on the strength of God through prayer. Though our flesh is weak, the Spirit within us empowers us to remain faithful. Jesus reminds us that prayer is not just a discipline but a lifeline that keeps us spiritually awake and prepared for the challenges ahead.
Take a moment today to examine your prayer life. Are there areas where you’ve been spiritually “asleep”—distracted, disengaged, or distant from God? Redirect your focus to Him and commit to staying spiritually alert through intentional prayer. Set aside dedicated time today to “watch and pray,” asking the Holy Spirit to strengthen your spirit and guard you against temptation. Let this be a daily practice of relying on God’s power to sustain you.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess that, like Peter, I often let my physical weakness or distractions pull me away from staying spiritually awake. Forgive me for moments when I’ve been asleep in my faith. Today, I redirect my focus to You and commit to being watchful and prayerful. Strengthen me by Your Spirit so I can resist temptation and remain faithful in all circumstances. I will rely on You daily, knowing that apart from You, I can do nothing. In Your name, Amen.
