24 Hours That Changed the World: "He Came and Found Them Sleeping"
Scripture: He came back and found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, you went to sleep on me? Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naïve. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog, sleeping by the fire.”
He then went back and prayed the same prayer. Returning, he again found them sound asleep. They simply couldn’t keep their eyes open and they didn’t have a plausible excuse.
He came back a third time and said, “Are you going to sleep all night? No—you’ve slept long enough. Time’s up. The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up. Let’s get going. My betrayer has arrived.” Mark 14:37-42 ( The Message translation)
I love late nights. Or, maybe I should say early mornings. Summer, winter, spring or fall, seasons don’t matter at 2 a.m. There is a quietness of 2 a.m. A stillness, as if everything is on hold, one breath away for something magical. The sky has a softness, the moon iridescent, and the stars just beg you to draw those imaginary lines of Canis Major and Canis Minor, Cancer, Cassiopeia, Gemini.
If only Peter, James, and John had been night owls. Would Jesus have found a hint of reassurance, a breath of comfort to have found his closest friends awake and in prayer? Would the late night’s touch of stillness loose its terrorizing power if on the second return, Jesus had been met with support and encouragement from his faithful prayer team? The example of prayer (down on your knees, painful, anguished, misery-laden prayer) was lost. The teaching moment that Jesus may have hoped for, strength of prayer for everyone, passed ignored by his devoted followers. In this late night scenario, even Jesus had to pray. Faced with disgrace, distress, disillusionment, and death, he turned to God in prayer.
Let us not be caught “sleeping” when faced with discouragement or despair. Be vigilant and turn to God in prayer.
Most loving Lord, help me stay awake and remember to turn to you for comfort in times of sadness and joy. May I also be a light to others each and every day. Amen.
Family Lenten Activity
Make bedtime a special time for prayer; let your child lead you in prayer. Look for new persons or events to prayer for in newspapers, on TV, or magazines.
