Watch & Pray

Mark 14:38 (AMP)
Keep awake and watch and pray [constantly], that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.


// THOUGHTS:

.. Very common verse; but here's how it's speaking to me at this moment.

.. The disciples may have been very tired physically that's why they couldn't keep up with Jesus even just for an hour
.. Jesus indicated that "the spirit is willing"; meaning, they had the desire to keep up with Him
.. However, "the flesh is weak"; meaning, there is a connection between the body and spirit when it comes to manifesting the spiritual things we so desire to do and act upon

.. What was Jesus' response? "Watch and pray..." (NIV)
.. To "watch" means to stay up, to be vigilant (people who go to vigils don't sleep)
.. To "pray" - is obvious, to communicate with the Father through Jesus constantly

.. There are things in life that we want to do for the glory of God. Many times, we are willing in our spirit. We say "yes I want to do that for God..." but yet we end up not doing it because our "body is weak". Christ's response to that is to keep watch - to be vigilant - don't sleep - so we may not fall into the temptation of not following through our desires.

.. Practically speaking, how can we carry out God's call in our lives to be vigilant if we do not take care of our physical bodies? We would always be so tired because for some of us, we lack sleep, or we didn't manage our time wisely hence snowballing other tasks put together to one huge thing because we didn't get to finish other tasks scheduled in the beginning. "To be vigilant" is to be watchful with what we do. To be proactive; to stay awake and not be lazy as a sluggard (Prov. 6:9). "To pray" is to stay tuned with God who gives us strength to carry out these tasks within our desires for Him and His plans to carry out through us.

.. WATCH AND PRAY is to BE VIGILANT AND to STAY CONNECTED

// BELLE:

.. I am guilty for not managing my time wisely enough. I know I have accomplished most of the things I have to do, but a lot of times, in a procrastinating way. I have a lot of things that I want to do for the Lord. And I understand that some of them are not necessarily what He wants me to do. I must also be willing to change that. And I am, in Jesus' name.
.. With the things that I know God is calling me to do as part of my responsibility, I must be proactive in managing my time wisely; to be more organized in dealing my daily stuff; to not be lazy and wait til later to deal with them; and to always stay connected with God every single moment to guide me through what I have to do.
.. The temptation is to not fulfill what I ought to do - therefore, I MUST KEEP WATCH (be vigilant, not lazy, proactive) and PRAY (stay connected with God at all times, conversing with Him every moment, and thinking about Him throughout)

// LORD, these are such common, simple and practical stuff; yet so profound. Thank you for always hitting home with Your Word. Your Word is active and living. Help me to follow through these things. I know you have things for me to do, and I pray that I will not get sidetracked in reaching to those things. I do this in order to give glory to Your name alone and nothing else. Help me to always be watchful and prayerful that I will not be any close to the temptations that will try to hinder from accomplishing the tasks you have for me. In Jesus' name, amen.