Day Twenty-two = Getting Sleepy

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Mark 14:38)

Have you ever attended a prayer service? I mean a service where there was nothing but prayer; no singing, no teaching, no video presentation, absolutely nothing but prayer? If yes, do you remember how many were there? My guess is not that many. The largest Christian crowds are not found in the prayer service, they are found in the concerts of the latest musicians and singers, or at the conference of the greatest evangelists, or maybe at the social gathering of the newest church club; but not at the prayer service.

Now, it is not as though I am suggesting that any of the aforementioned events are in any way bad, but rather I am seeking to bring to light the reality that prayer service is not popular. They are long, perhaps boring, we don’t always know what to say, or pray for. After half an hour we are all out of things to say. We are not the only Christians who struggle to keep the prayer service a priority. Even the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane found it difficult to remain awake and pray. (See Mark 14)

The disciples were Jesus’ closest friends. In the prayer service of a life time, just before Christ was crucified, when he was clearly distressed; even then his closest loved ones were unable to remain awake. We are not servants of an unreasonable, irrational, unrealistic God who seeks to fatigue us with boring unimportant traditions. Jesus wanted to teach his disciples that prayer was a tool that they needed to stay in communion with Him after he was resurrected and no longer with them in the flesh. He is looking for that communion with us today. Without communication relationship is not possible. Prayer is the tool necessary in order to keep communication with God. If we avoid prayer we avoid a relationship with God. So remember, make prayer a priority today; and continue to build your relationship with God.