“Then He said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me’…Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?’ He asked Peter. ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’ He went away a second time and prayed…When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping?…'” (Matthew 26:38-45)
After our sabbath pause we go back to the garden called Gethsemane to our troubled Savior. In today’s verses we are focusing on the disciples and, specifically, the Lord’s request of them. In their years of ministry together there is no other place where Jesus makes such an intimate request of His disciples. He opens up His heart to them and reveals His struggle and we can sense a longing for companionship from a man in an hour of deepest sorrow. So how could they fall asleep?
Not even for “one hour”? It doesn’t seem like Jesus is asking much of these guys but they could not even do that. However, we are too quick to condemn these tired disciples and to forget the many times we have let the Lord down. Have you had times when you felt the Lord urging you to pray or speak a word of encouragement or give a little extra? But, because of a busy schedule or just being tired you did not follow through. Jesus lets the disciples know in these verses that the spirit is willing but the body is weak. They must have wanted to pray with Jesus but they could not overcome the needs of the body.
If they had only known what was about to happen. If they had known that this would be their last moments with Jesus before His arrest…maybe they could have been successful. Peter would later write, “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (1 Peter 4:7). I think these disciples learned an important lesson about a sometimes “inconvenient faith”.
We should also notice that Jesus is frustrated but He does not condemn them. He knows their weaknesses and understands their struggle. He is also tired. This was not their first time to let Jesus down and it would not be the last. This is also an important lesson to remember as we walk with Jesus…our failures are not fatal.
During this lenten journey you may have already had moments when the distractions of your schedule or just exhaustion has interrupted your spiritual discipline. Let me encourage you to not focus on your weakness but on His strength. He understands…life can be challenging. The key is to get back on track, learn from it and keep your eyes on Him.