“I don’t think we usually view things like getting a good night’s sleep as spiritual matters, but they are. If I can’t stay awake to work or pray, I am not as effective for God’s kingdom.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 17, 2025
by Jill Turner
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41
Recently, I fell asleep in the middle of something important … and I was on the front row! It was momentary, and I quickly shook myself, moved to the back of the room, and stood for the rest of the session. But I was mortified!
It wasn’t the content. The leaders of this presentation had spent hours preparing, and what they shared was good and useful. I don’t know if they noticed me nodding off, but I felt terrible. I went outside to walk it off, ran into my boss, and confessed. Thank God he is full of grace.
Soon after, not intentionally, the Bible study I’d been working through for months landed me on this verse: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
Wow! Jesus was chastising His disciples for not doing the simple thing He’d asked them to do – wait with Him and pray! Sadly, I saw myself right there with the disciples, ashamed. My flesh is weak. So even when I absolutely want to do something good, I can fail miserably if I haven’t had enough sleep, am not staying healthy, or am not disciplined in my prayer life.
Like Jesus’ disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-45), I couldn’t even manage to stay awake.
I don’t think we usually view things like getting a good night’s sleep as spiritual matters, but they are. If I can’t stay awake to work or pray, I am not as effective for God’s kingdom.
A time is coming when I’ll need to be prepared … when we’ll need to be prepared. I’ve heard friends call their prayer time the “morning watch” or the “evening watch.” Honestly, I used to think this was a bit dramatic, but I’ve changed my mind. Here’s why:
Jesus is coming back! He told us this. He also told us that, even though there will be signs, no one is going to know exactly when, and the two things we must do are “watch” and “pray.” I would add to this that we need to make ourselves ready through intention and discipline.
God can empower me to build the prayer life I’ll need to watch for Him and pray for His kingdom’s coming. He can do it for you, too.
Prayer
Oh Lord! Our flesh is so weak, sometimes even when we think we’re strong. Keep us healthy, alert, watching always for your return. Discipline us, and change us by our obedience and practices so that our lives look like people who are always waiting on the Lord, and, more importantly, so that you will find us doing what you asked when you come.
Application
What’s missing in your prayer life? Are you watching for Jesus’ return every day? What do you need to do to get better at watching for and expecting him to come back? Start doing that thing today.
Related Reading
Psalm 130:5-6; Matthew 25:1-13, 26:36-45; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 21:5-36
Worship Resource
Shane and Shane: I Will Wait For You
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