Sleeping On The Job

Matthew 26:40 (NIV) —

‘Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. 'Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?' he asked Peter. 'Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.''

I love a good nap - anyone else with me? There’s really nothing like curling up on the sofa with a blanket, maybe a film playing in the background and dozing off. 

However, there’s a time and a place for a nap. A Sunday afternoon - great. Just after a close friend, in deep despair, has opened up to you? Probably not the best time.

Jesus has told his disciples that ‘his soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death’. In Luke’s gospel it says that Jesus was praying so earnestly he was literally sweating blood. This really isn’t a great time for Peter, James and John to be caught sleeping on the job - not their finest hour!

And yet, even at a time where Jesus wants his disciples to watch out for him, he asks them to pray so that THEY don’t fall into temptation. Even when Jesus is only hours away from death, he’s still looking out for the needs of his disciples. Wow. 

Recently, I’ve been sitting with the verses in Philippians 2 where Paul writes about valuing others above ourselves. What a huge challenge! He doesn’t say: ‘value others a lot’ or even, ‘the same as you value yourself’: it’s value others above yourself. Jesus totally embodies these verses in this moment.

For us, living this out can feel so hard, but thankfully we don’t have to do it in our own strength. We have the Holy Spirit to show us how to love others as Jesus would. But let’s pause for a moment - just think of the impact it would make if we started to value other people above ourselves, if we put their needs ahead of our own! It would be transformational. 

Prayer — Jesus, thank you that you care about our every need. Help me to value others in the same way that you do.