Paul writes in Ephesians 5:14, “Awake, O sleeper…”. I have to admit, I’ve been asleep at the wheel of my writing for a while and find this passage pulling at my heart.
Let’s take a look at two other passages about sleeping. In
Mark 4, we see Jesus after a long day of teaching to the crowds. When evening
time came, he says in verse 5, “Let us go over to the other side”. He was ready
to get in a boat and sail to the other side. He found a cushion in the stern
and fell asleep. Suddenly a storm with gale force winds arrived and was tossing
the boat. The disciples, who knew how dangerous the storm could be, panicked
because the boat was taking on water. Jesus was sleeping through this commotion.
They pleaded with him in verse 38. “Teacher, do You not care
that we are perishing?” In verse 39 it says, He got up and rebuked the wind and
said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it because perfectly
calm. Verse 40 says, And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? How is it that
you have no faith?”
They did make it to land after that. They were amazed and
asked themselves, “Who then is this, that even the wind and sea obey Him?”
In Matthew and Mark, it’s Jesus who is facing His own storm.
He had a simple request for his disciples. Could they stay awake that night
with Him in the Garden and pray? This was a prayer not for Jesus’ fear or
protection from things, but that the disciples would not enter into temptation.
Matthew 26:41 says, “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is
willing, but the flesh is weak.” Three times he came back to them and three
times He found them sleeping.
In Mark 14:38, He asked them to watch and pray in the same
scene in the Garden. Staying awake was
for their benefit, He knew the storm was coming and they were going to need
their faith.
After Jesus was arrested, beaten and then crucified His
disciples scattered. Even Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. I cannot
imagine the weight of guilt they all carried. I have to wonder, did they replay
that scene on the boat where they thought Jesus didn’t care about the storm? How
could they not care about His simple request to pray?
When I go back and read the prayer Jesus lifted to His Father,
I can see how Jesus stepped in and prayed for them. In John 17, we see what He
prayed. He prayed for God to “keep them from the evil one” and “sanctify them
in the truth”. That prayer was answered. The disciples went on and changed the world
with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
What I want you to see dear reader, if you read a little bit
further, you will see in verse 20, “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but
for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one;
even as You Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so
that the world may believe that You sent me.”
I saw a post the other day that said something like, if you
could hear Jesus praying in the other room for you, how would your faith
improve?
He already did…Jesus prayed for you and me. Isn’t that
amazing? And those words echo through generations. We cannot fall asleep in our
faith and stop watching and praying. We need to be about the work of Jesus.
Revelation 3 is a message to the church in Sardis. And I can
relate to this call to action. In verse 3 and 4 it a triumphant Jesus says, “Wake
up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have
not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you
have received and heard; and keep it and repent. Therefore if you do not wake
up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to
you.”
Our work is not done! My charge to you comes from Ephesians
5:14-16:
“For this reason it says,
‘Awake, sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.’
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as
wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil”.
Shine a light in this dark world. Watch and pray.
