40 Days Of Prayer - Day 22

Luke 22:45-46
“When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. ‘Why are you sleeping?’ he asked them. ‘Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.’”

Right after these verses, Peter goes on to cut off a servant’s ear, denies Jesus three times and then cries bitterly. Not a very good night for Peter.

Jesus had asked the disciples to pray but they just couldn’t keep their eyes open. Maybe they didn’t think it was crucial; maybe they were too worn down and tired; maybe they didn’t think it would do any good. But when I read the verses that follow, I can’t help but ask, “What if?”

What if Peter had obeyed and prayed? Perhaps he would have left his sword in its sheath instead of injuring someone because he was afraid. What if Peter had obeyed and prayed? Perhaps he wouldn’t have let Jesus down, a man who he actually loved deeply, but didn’t pray to love faithfully. What if Peter had obeyed and prayed? Perhaps he wouldn’t have run away, isolating himself in shame and guilt.

How are we all doing with praying these days? We can all be like the disciples, questioning the power of prayer, doubting its capabilities. We can be so worn down from exhaustion and sorrow that we don’t think we have any energy left to pray. The struggles of life have made us lay on our side instead of fall on our knees.

We can simply doubt that God will do anything, believing there is no point because “God’s gonna do what God’s gonna do.”

But I don’t want to be just like Peter was that day. So what if we prayed?

Perhaps we wouldn’t injure others because we are afraid. Perhaps we wouldn’t let Jesus down because we were giving our all to be faithful to him. Perhaps we wouldn’t try to run and isolate, hiding with our shame and guilt.

Peter’s way that day is not the way I want to follow. I’d rather be the Peter that jumped out of his boat because he was so passionate about his Saviour. This is hard but let’s try to pray. Even just two words. We just need to start. If we do, who knows? We may become so passionate that we jump to follow him…just like Peter.

"God, thank you for dying and rising again so that we can pray to you at any time. What a privilege actually. Help us not to be like Peter, sleeping on the job. The job you’ve given us. Help us to pray our brains out like you did. And then, when you call on us, help us to jump out of our proverbial boats because of our love for you. Amen"

Written by Nancy Neufeld