October 13 - Matthew 26: Stay Alert and Be in Prayer

Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into temptation without even knowing you're in danger. (26:40)

Jesus said this to his closest disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion. He was agonizing over His coming death, and they couldn't seem to stay awake to keep vigil with Him.

As a mom, it's so easy - and almost second-nature now - to scan the area and see a variety of physical temptations and dangers for my children, but I'm often oblivious to the dangers to my own spiritual well-being. I mindlessly wander into the temptations that the enemy puts in my path and am ensnared before I know it. Some recent ones come to mind:

• A brief log-in on Facebook brought to mind some old wounds. Ugh. It's a temptation to rehash hurts that I've already forgiven.
• My child is becoming more defiant. It's a temptation to lead her by power and force rather than through loving discipline and my own self-control.
• There's no news and no end in sight on the adoption. It's a temptation to worry and fear and to take matters into my own hands.
• We're making some big decisions on home projects and the best use of our money. It's a temptation to just please ourselves, rather than to ask God how He would have us steward His money.

On the surface, these are just the happenings in daily life. Most of the time, I don't consciously recognize any danger in these kinds of things. They seem pretty normal to me.

When I stop and think about it though, I know that, given enough time and self-focus, these temptations turn into sin and are toxic to my spiritual well-being:

• My unresolved anger and hurt can easily turn into bitterness and resentment. 
• My use of force with my children can turn into a self-serving need to dominate and control them. 
• My worry and fear can easily become sin as I trust in myself rather than God. 
• And this one instance of deciding to please myself can quickly wreck my desire to yield to the Lord in other areas of my life. 

Each one of these temptations, left unchecked, will eventually lead me to sin, not to my God. Jesus knew His disciples would be tempted, just as He knows that I am. His commands to them to combat these temptations are pretty simple.

Stay alert, and be in prayer. 

It reminds me of Deuteronomy and how Moses repeatedly told the Israelites to be vigilant. He knew they'd be under attack from the enemy when they entered the Promised Land and couldn't let down their guard. In the same way, Jesus understands, more than I ever will, how much temptation and danger I face everyday.

I, too, need to be especially vigilant and prayerful because there's a war going on, a battle for my soul.