Lord, teach us to pray (Part IX)

20 May 2009

Posted by admin under: Spiritual Growth .

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? (St. Matthew 26:40).

Think of watchmen, or what we often refer as Security Guards. For them to do their job well, they have to be awake and alert. As watchmen, they have to know what to watch out for, otherwise their purpose for watching is meaningless. Likewise, Jesus charged us to watch and pray. One would ask, “what should I watch out for?”

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation…” (St. Matthew 26:41). It is the temptation and sin that we have to watch out for. We have to watch out and look out for sin (I John 5:17), lest it catches us. We should always be ready to attack and defend ourselves from sin, thus be proactive in destroying sin or the look thereof in our lives.

For us to know, recognize and identify sin we have to know righteousness and holiness, “for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20). Knowing this will help to put the difference between holy and unholy (Leviticus 10:10).

For Security Guards to succeed at their job, they have to have weapons and methods of how to catch criminals. Joseph knew how to escape the lures’ and trap from Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:1-12). We have to know too, how we will both prevent sin and escape sin when we are tempted. The Bible tells us to resist the devil, and he will flee from us (James 4:7). It is when we are not watching that we fall into temptation, hence the warning “watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation”.

Watching means monitoring our own thoughts and policing our own actions. Contrary to popular misconception, watching just like praying, is not an idle activity. Watching and praying involves physical and spiritual awareness. Whilst watching, we also ought to be praying. Those who do not pray cannot watch, likewise those who do not watch cannot pray. We cannot do one without the other.

When David was facing what seemed like an opportunity to kill a long existing enemy, bacause he was watching he overcame the temptation to avenge for himself (I Samuel 24). Likewise when he was tempted and was overcome by sin, it is also, because he was not watching (II Samuel 11:1-27). Watching and praying will keep us from straying and falling.

The thieves and thugs do not come when it will be easy for Security Guards to catch them. They lay in wait, waiting for the guards’ weak moment. So is the same with sin. Moses did not plan to smite the rock. It is when he was not watching, that he was overtaken by anger, and sinned againts God (Numbers 20:1-13). Sin creeps and sneaks on us when we are caught off guard. As we watch and pray, we need to be firmly rooted in the word of God so that we can be able to overcome evil.

Is there any reward in watching and waiting? Paul says our labour is not in vain in the Lord (I Conrinthians 15:58). Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man (Luke 21:36).

3 Comments so far...

chris Says:

21 May 2009 at 6:15 am.

Good Post!
I just recently published a book about the prayers of the Apostle Paul, and thought you may be interested in checking it out. You can preview and even order the book at http://www.Amazon.com. Just type in Praying The Prayers of the Apostle Paul.

Thanks and God Bless,
casparkman@gmail.com

JaneRadriges Says:

13 June 2009 at 1:47 pm.

The best information i have found exactly here. Keep going Thank you

BRENDA Says:

18 June 2009 at 10:05 am.

Thanks for another perspective of watch and pray. I take that very personal that I watch not to enter into temptation and pray that God will keep me cognizant of my thoughts and actions.
God bless you to keep sharing ! ! !

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