There is always a battle going on between the flesh and the spirit. The flesh never wants to give in to the spirit and the spirit’s desire is to tame the flesh. The war rages on. “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Galatians 5:17
Watchmen “watch” this means that we pay attention; we inspect the wall for breaches or cracks; we test the wall’s integrity; and viability; and repair or replace sections when necessary. To watch means to stand guard, to commit to the cause, and to remain at our posts (on the wall) no matter what!
Prayer is our commitment to the job at hand, realizing that what we are doing is vitally important for completion of our assigned tasks (wall work). In the words of Nehemiah: “I am carrying on a great project and I cannot go down.” Nehemiah 6:3 NIV. We do not leave our posts because we were invited to a party, nor do we sit down because we are tired. Our assigned positions are irrevocable. Our commitment is the overarching belief that we have a job to do and we must complete it. However, we are not able to commit to completion without prayer, a reality that is repeated over and over in the Word of God.
Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” Matthew 26:38
Jesus who knows everything, knew that the disciples would be overcome with temptation because Jesus was doing hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. He was in the Garden of Gethsemane to have some “alone time” with His Father because He knew that His time had come. He prayed until the Word says that He perspired blood! He made a request for the twelve to be vigilant, steadfast, and to watch and pray.
There is a well- known fact that our bodies automatically shut down after a certain hour. My husband stood watch during his military career and often there would be two assigned to the task because one watched while the other rested. However, he states that no matter how much rest he had gotten earlier, it was almost impossible to stay awake after a certain time during the night. Like the solders, the disciples became exhausted. However, in this case they fell asleep…
Deliver us from evil… Jesus knew that the disciples would fall into temptation and He gently admonished them a couple of times. Can’t you just pray? By then there were eleven; we know where Judas ran off to, but couldn’t a few have had His back while the others slept? We all know the end of the story. However, the disciples left the wall (figuratively) because they were overcome with fatigue. “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Mark 14:38
While we watch and pray, we must be intentional and ask God to help us to commit to the task ahead. We can’t look to the left or to the right, but we must keep our eyes “fixed” on and focused on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfector of our faith. There are distractions all around, from civil unrest to major cultural division. Still we hold fast to our faith. Our commitment is to stay on the wall, interceding, praying with and telling a dying world about a loving Savior who gave everything for us.
Stay on the wall and realize that OUR JOB is too important to come down!