They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

“Are you still sleeping?” Sometimes I feel like this question is asked of me by Jesus. Sleeping was not technically wrong by the Jewish law. It was not a sin of commission. Yet Jesus was highly disappointed in his disciples. Why?

I know for me when I am weary and tired, stressed out from the challenges of the day, the best and highest use of my time is to spend time with God reading his Word and praying. So if I don’t do this, it is a sin of omission that leads to a high likelihood of sins of commission going forward.

Jesus modeled this here. His ministry here on earth was hitting a critical point. The hardest parts ahead were likely to see his followers fall away and deny him. Yes, I will say it again, I believe the hardest thing for Jesus, tougher than the beatings, the curses, the false accusations, and the crucifixion, was the way his disciples abandoned him, the way Peter denied him, and the way Judas him. And facing this denial and betrayal, he went to God in prayer, laying out his worries and cares to him who had the power to strengthen him.

And we see here that the disciples had a choice … a choice to go to God in prayer and ask for help, for spiritual fortitude to stand in the heat of the battle. But instead they chose sleep.

I must confess, I have also sinned in this way; not serving Jesus and his will for me by getting right with God. My worries and cares can build up in my mind and in my heart, and they can overwhelm me, at times. This leads to poor decisions that, oftentimes, go down other paths of sin that are not healthy. Fear and worry can lead to blaming ourselves and others. This can lead to acting selfishly and seeking self-worth in this world, and self-gratification through the lusts of this world.

When I search for popularity, intimacy, and fulfillment in this world, apart from Jesus, it is like a mirage in the desert. It seems so good in the moment, so I follow. But its fulfillment is fleeting and in the end it lies to me about its promises for the true spiritual water and food I need. I understand all too well the words of the Apostle Paul: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭24‬-‭25‬)

My only hope is to repent and cling to the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Lord, forgive me for the times I have set aside loyalty to you and not sought you in prayer for strength. Instead, I have given into the worries and cares of this world. I reach out my hand to you, Oh Savior, when I fail you! Restore me again, by your grace, to a walk that is wholly committed to you.