watch and pray; buck up

Mark 14:32-72

 

Jesus was out in the Garden of Gathsemene in the wee hours of the morning asking the Father to go easy on the suffering bit, and he brought is Green Berets with Him to watch and pray.  But they wimped out.  Too sleepy.  Sounds like me.

³⁷And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

After they arrested Jesus and took Him to the High Priest's house for a dirty trial, Peter stealthly followed the angry mob and ananonomously eavesdropped outside in the High Priest's courtyard.  When he was spotted and recognized as one of Christ's followers, he denied it.  Three times he denied knowing Christ.

⁷¹But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know this man of whom you speak."

How many times each day do we deny knowing Christ by the things that we say and do?  How about I buck up and acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Even if it makes me feel awkward or makes someone else uncomfortable.

 

Heavenly Father, I want to stand guard, keep watch, and pray.  I want to follow Christ so closely and operate in the spirit so that my flesh never gets the best of me.  Holy Spirit, please give me boldness and power to be a witness for Jesus Christ.  I ask in His Name, the great I AM who is coming on the clouds of heaven.