Watch and Pray - Mark 14:38

Mark wrote how Jesus and His disciples, “came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he said to his disciples, Sit you here, while I shall pray. And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy. And said unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry you here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto you; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what you will. And he came, and found them sleeping, and said unto Peter, Simon, are you sleeping? could you not watch one hour?”, and in chapter fourteen and verse thirty-eight of his book, Mark shared how Jesus said, “watch you and pray, lest you enter into temptation”, where we read:

Watch you and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

The verse reads, “Watch you and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” Mark began with the word, “Watch you” which means “Peter, James and John give attention to, be vigilant and awake” “and pray” or “and make supplication, oration and worship to God”, “lest you enter” which means “or you will make entrance into and yield” “into temptation” or “in trial and proving of your fidelity, integrity, virtue and constancy”. Mark shared how Jesus directed Peter, James and John to “be vigilant” and “supplicate to God” or they might be lead into “trial” of their fidelity and integrity.

The verse goes on to say, “The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” Mark continued with the words, “the spirit” which means “the simple essence which is devoid of all or at least all grosser matter and possesses of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting” “truly is ready” or “certainly, surely and indeed is willing and predisposed”, “but the flesh is weak” which means “however, nonetheless, moreover and the sensuous and physical nature is feeble, impotent and infirmed”. Mark shared how Jesus declared that His “spirit” was prepared to go through the difficult path set before Him, but His “flesh nature” was resistant to enduring it.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see not only a repeat of Jesus' instructions to His three disciples, but also the reason why they should be “watching and praying”. Jesus' disciples were subject to fall into “temptation” if they did not “watch and pray”, and Jesus knew His “spirit” was willing to pay the price for the sins of mankind, but His “flesh nature” was resisting going through these things. God loves people, and His desire is for them to live with Him forever. By believing and trusting in His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they will align themselves with God's will and receive “everlasting life” from He who loves them.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus “went away, and prayed, and spake the same words”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".