Sleeping

Matthew 26:40

 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter.


You know this last week (Sept 11th ) , I did a lot of thinking and meditating about the events of 8 years ago. There were many shows recounting the events of that day on television, which led me to thinking about my children. Bryson was only 5 years old, Caysee was barely 8, and Trent was 13. Trent would really be the only one of my children who could actually remember the events of that fateful day.

I thought about that fact. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing and the sense of Evil that day brought. But to Caysee and Bryson, seeing the events on television replayed, do not have the same effect as it did on  me. For one my being an adult and two I saw it live. It affected me so much I hurried to pick up my children from school early that day and  I remember a sense of feeling like I just HAD to get them home, where there is a feeling of safety. I prayed that day for hours it seemed,  I talked to God all day, I prayed for families, I prayed for children, I prayed for people blinded to see truth, I prayed for protection, I prayed and prayed and prayed. Even though at the time, I had not come into “a saving knowledge of Christ” or even what that meant, but there I was, HEAVY under the Spirit of God drawing me to prayer.

Bryson and Jarred were watching the events replayed of that week on television and started asking me questions about the people who did those things.  Going over the time frame with them and telling them about what was happening as they watched and what was about to happen. They were VERY caught up in the moment by moment events and  several times they paused the TV to ask questions. I was very happy for the teachable moments the replay gave me with the kids,

I left the room when the show went off to clean the kitchen and even though we had paused it, discussed it, witnessed the devastation,  prayed for wisdom and discernment, and even added a little bible study to it, the kids jumped up and went to play a video game. 

I thought about how that is similar to what we have done, only it wasn’t immediate, it took a few years for it to happen. We ALL WITNESSED this evil, it shook us, we prayed, we banned together, we filled churches to overflowing…. But sadly, we have fallen back asleep.

The enemy of our souls has flooded our vision with Hollywood Blockbusters that show so much violence and devastation our conscious has become desensitized  and seared to the real evil going on in this world. We rally together for a time when these terrible events happen, but we forget soon afterward. We “personally” go back to sleep unless one of these events hits our own home. Evil prevails when we do nothing. 

I wonder in a way if that was how Jesus felt? HE KNEW what was about to happen just as I did when going over it with the kids, I knew the desperation of that moment, even though the events were not going to change, I still felt compelled to pray, still felt that draw of the Spirit to go into the prayer closet and get alone with God. I wasn’t in that building or on the Cross, but Jesus was!  Real people were! Someone’s children, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, daughters, and sons. They were real happenings not something created by Hollywood.  Personally, in my own home, I am doing spiritual inventory or what I am allowing in my own viewing and those precious children God has given me to steward. I am looking at what I fill up my time with and committing to more prayer.

May Jesus find us keeping watch!




Let’s Pray:

Father, I pray you make our spiritual radar super sensitive to what is allowed in our minds and our children’s  minds. May you make our houses, "houses of prayer”.  Make us sensitive to Your Holy Spirit’s promptings to pray for the state of our county, our leaders, our communities, our churches, and make us One as You are One. Give us wisdom in this new day of evil of how to pray, how to get involved, how to do Your will Lord.
Father, heal us of our indifference and instant gratification ways. Heal our Nation Lord and draw us to keep watch and be ready for Jesus return. In His Name I pray, Amen.