“Then He returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, ‘Couldn’t you watch with Me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!’” (Matthew 26:40-41 NLT)
The word “weak” is used only two times in the Gospels in the King James Version of the Bible, both in the context of prayer. When I think of believers in America, with rare exception, we’re very weak – we’re weak in discipline, weak in follow through, weak in evangelism, but most prominently, we’re weak in prayer.
How do I know that? Because we’ve lost our country to the “whiners!” It’s not an issue of what’s right or wrong anymore, it’s a matter of who can get the ear of the media, which is getting easier and easier. It started when we lost the right to have the Lord’s prayer recited in our schools, then the Bible had to go. It wasn’t long until a man and a man or a woman and a woman had to have equal “rights” to be married and recognized as such.
Then men who had become “women” demanded to share sports and locker rooms with women and be kept in prison in women’s facilities. That wreaked havoc with the maternity rate of prisoners until finally some are coming back to their senses.
What does all this ranting have to do with prayer? Everything! When we stop praying we lose control of everything that’s sacred. And here’s the tragedy – it’s our fault if we don’t kneel down in prayer, then stand up and fight back while the opportunity is ripe for our corporate response, as it is in this cultural moment.
“We don’t want to get involved” is the theme song of the modern church in America. We’re so afraid of losing people from our churches if we’re too controversial, and I get it. I really do. I pastored small churches, and I got push back when I wanted to make Voter’s Guides available. But I’ve since learned that the only way to grow a spine is prostrate myself before the throne of God.
Watchman Nee rightly wrote: “Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I am strong.” In America we have little frame of reference to understand brother Nee’s words. Let me share a quote from a book I’m reading by Brother Yun entitled The Heavenly Man. This is in reference to his third imprisonment for no other reason than his love for Jesus.
“The officers rushed at me, held me down and viciously kicked and beat me. They stamped on my legs and chest with their heavy boots, and pulled my hair back and pistol-whipped me. My bones crunched and snapped under their savage blows and kicks. They then produced a dreaded electric baton and tortured me with electric shocks. I was thrashed so severely that all I could do was curl up and focus on Jesus, trying not to pay attention to the blows. Finally, I lost consciousness.” (page 234 of The Heavenly Man)
When I read these words, I’m ashamed to call myself a Christian. What have I ever sacrificed? How have I ever suffered? And the worst part is, while Brother Yun’s whole existence is dependent upon prayer, we can’t squeeze in an hour a day to devote to prayer. He literally wouldn’t be alive today without prayer. God healed his body, including his legs that were snapped under the weight of his severe beating, and that was only one of countless other beatings.
And no, he wasn’t taken to the infirmary and pampered, he was placed in a 6 X 6 concrete box for days with almost nothing to eat and no place to relieve himself. Please read His book and, like me, beg God to forgive you for your weakness in prayer.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed
Walking With Jesus 