Matthew 26:40-41 NKJV
Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Be alert, be watchful, be aware, be mindful. These are what we need to be doing in order to avoid the lure of temptation, to avoid doing the things we ought not do, and do the things we ought.
If we go through life without paying attention, our human inclinations take over, without us even knowing. It isn't that we are necessarily willfully sinning, but unless we are purposeful in our decisions, actions, and thinking, we will fall into what is easy, what feels good, what is natural, what is tempting.
What struck me about this verse this week is the "always-ness" of it. I need to be watching, and praying, constantly...not just when a big decision comes along, not just when an obvious temptation is waggling its finger at me. Always.
We are instructed to not only watch, but to also pray. Watching allows us to be aware of the potential pitfalls in our path, the candy stores tempting us with all their goodies. Praying, allows us to hear from God what he would have us do in each situation. It isn't that we have to avoid all situations, that wouldn't be living in the world. But we do need to avoid entering in to temptation, avoid living of the world. So it's two-fold...watch and pray. Be alert and listen.
Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Be alert, be watchful, be aware, be mindful. These are what we need to be doing in order to avoid the lure of temptation, to avoid doing the things we ought not do, and do the things we ought.
If we go through life without paying attention, our human inclinations take over, without us even knowing. It isn't that we are necessarily willfully sinning, but unless we are purposeful in our decisions, actions, and thinking, we will fall into what is easy, what feels good, what is natural, what is tempting.
What struck me about this verse this week is the "always-ness" of it. I need to be watching, and praying, constantly...not just when a big decision comes along, not just when an obvious temptation is waggling its finger at me. Always.
We are instructed to not only watch, but to also pray. Watching allows us to be aware of the potential pitfalls in our path, the candy stores tempting us with all their goodies. Praying, allows us to hear from God what he would have us do in each situation. It isn't that we have to avoid all situations, that wouldn't be living in the world. But we do need to avoid entering in to temptation, avoid living of the world. So it's two-fold...watch and pray. Be alert and listen.
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