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"...Stay here and keep watch." Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Couldn't you keep watch for one hour?
"When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him."
"Returning the THIRD time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners."- Mark 14:34, 37, 40, 41
The disciples just missed the last moments of Jesus Christ... The last moments! Imaging having a moment with Jesus, just a moment, Imagine how amazing that would be! One moment would be incredible!
In the case of the disciples, they forfeited the last moment with Jesus because they allowed sleep to overtake them.
But more simplistically? They fell to their own desire and lost focus
They ignored the Lord's request...
And to think that sleep was more important than obeying God. They forfeited the last moment with their Lord before he was arrested to be crucified... All due to their lack of obedience.
It's crazy isn't it?
Know what's even MORE crazy?
Almost everyday we ignore a moment with the Lord... Just like the disciples did
How do we ignore him?
"I can't read my bible..." "I don't have time to pray..." "I don't have the courage to do what's right..."
Why? ...."Well because, Lord knows how stressed I am! Lord knows how tired I am! Lord knows how important my job is! Lord knows that I need some time to relax. Lord knows how busy I am..."
Because, after all... Based on what was just said, Lord knows that I'm too busy for him...
Does this sound a little like you? It might just sound a little like us ALL! Just this week alone, how many times has this happened to you? How many times did you refuse to answer God's call?
When we push the Lord away... We are telling that we are busy... Leave a message
We tell the creator of us all... that we are too busy to talk.
In that tiny moment...
We reject what our father wanted to give us! We ignore our father...
All because of "being busy"...
What does King Solomon say about this? "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." -Ecclesiastes 1:14
King Solomon said it best... it's like chasing after the wind
We must begin to CLING to and RELY on the Lord... We must begin to take time with the Lord seriously!
-Remove distractions
-Give focus
-Allow the Lord to speak to us
(And equally important...)
-Speak to him!
A conversation requires at least two ACTIVE people, so the same goes when we spend time with the Lord!
We can speak to the creator of the stars Anytime, Anywhere, for Any reason But STILL we rather ignore him!
Don't get it wrong though, the Lord KNOWS that times can get crazy and hectic! And for this reason, the Lord created a day to rest! A day to do NOTHING but rest from the busy world and focus on him.
If we are so busy then why don't we rest on the day he has provided?! What day you might ask? It's called the Sabbath Day, Sunday
Have we quickly forgotten that respecting the Sabbath is one of the ten commandments?
"'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death." -Exodus 31:14, 15
God put it best... He gives you so much time to work, So why not give him some of your time?
The only way that we can stay strong in this broken world is to get strength from the Lord! The only way to get strength from the Lord is to spend time with the Lord!
How can we get strength if we are to busy for him?
So are you forwarding God to an answering machine?
If so... Then it's time to pick up the call... STOP what you are doing... And pick up the call
The Holy Spirit is a gentleman... it will knock but NEVER drag you to do something!
The Lord wants to bless you IF YOU LET HIM
May the Lord have mercy on us... For we know not what we do... For we know what we do but we will correct and GROW from it!
May we begin to ignore the world..
for once... The world...
Not the lord.
"It is time for you to act, Lord; your law is being broken. Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path. Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts." -Psalm 119:126-130, 132-134
"For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory." The officers shall say to the army: "Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it." -Deuteronomy 20:4-6