The First Sleep

Then Jesus said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” Luke 22:46

A long day’s work often leads to a good night’s sleep. A lot of stress or a lot of activity can also lead to a need for sleep. We usually think this is a good thing, and it usually is. That is, of course, unless we have been specifically told to stay awake. Our boss my take exception to our proffered explanation that we had such a good time last night that we need to catch up on sleep in our cubicle today.

Jesus took exception to the disciples sleeping. He had given them a job to do (praying), and they were failing at the task. It wasn’t that He needed their prayers, it was that they needed their prayers. Tough times were coming and they needed to be supported by prayer when they came. We see that when the hour of true trial came, they were unprepared. Sometimes when life wears at us we need more than sleep. We need to spend time getting refreshed from God and then lay down in peace and sleep.

Dear Father, Let us first find our rest in you and then in our beds. Amen.  

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