You know sometimes unexpectantly your body just gets so tired you could fall asleep at any moment. Think about the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, every time Jesus came back to where they were He found them asleep. He even said to Peter "Couldn't you stay awake and watch with me even one hour"?
Jesus used Peter's drowsiness to teach us a lesson about all the kinds of temptations we could and would face in our lives. The way to overcome temptation is to keep alert and pray!
Keeping alert means being aware of the possibilites of temptation that surround us everyday and being spiritually equipped to fight it off. Temptation strikes when we are most vulnerable and we can't resist those temptations alone, even if we have a willing spirit.
Prayer is the strength that can shore up our defenses and defeat Satan's power.
Jesus gave us an example of what to do to resist temptation:
1. Pray to God (Mark 14:35)
2. Seek support of friends and loved ones (Mark 14:33, 37, 40-41)
3. Focus on the purpose God has given us (Mark 14:36)
Even though our spirit is willing our body is weak.
Are you staying in the Word and staying in prayer? These are the two strongest places you can be in to keep you from being tempted and to keep your body strong and your spirit lifted and filled.
In the past several weeks God has been helping me to fall in love with His word all over again like I was a brand new Christian. I get up in the mornings not even wanting to get ready for work but to just spend time in prayer and reading the Bible, or my devotion book, or in my prayer journal and at night when I come home again I want to get right to studying and reading forgetting all about my responsibilities at home. And oh what wonderful conversations I have in the car with God on the way to work in the mornings. God is renewing my spirit every day and I get excited wondering where He will lead me next.
Who knows Kelly may not be in the only McCormick in our family that God calls to do mission work. God is moving in my life in ways that catch me by surprise and I look forward to each new day to find out His answers for me and what my next mission or challenge will be for me on that day.
What about you? are you sleeping through your life like the disciples did or are you alert and praying and waiting on God's next call to you? Let's wake up and get out and serve Him who never sleeps but is always there when we call on Him.
2 comments:
Are you kidding? I've been sleepy for almost 9 years now. Phillip will be 9 in August and Sara, she has never slept as good as Phillip does. Big imagination is her problem (spiders, ants, toys that MUST be in the closet when the lights go out, ect;). Anyway, I am glad My Lord never needs sleep.
I know what you mean about falling in love with God and his word like you were a new Christian again. That is exactly how I have been feeling these days. And let me just say I AM LOVING IT. I can't get enough. The dishes go a litte longer without being done, and the house is messier. But I really don't mind, He is up to something, and I don't want to miss it.
Great post Beverly!
I find myself not being able finish my quiet time in the morning... even after several hours, I still want more. God is really teaching me a lot about Him these days. I am loving it.
We are on such a walk these days. He is calling me to just TRUST Him for that day... to gather my manna for that day... not the next or the next day. One day at a time. I want to know Him more and love Him more.
Thanks so much for sharing. Lynn
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