To watch and pray is the Believer’s most important activity, but especially during times of uncertainty and fear. Sometimes we pray, but we don’t watch, and other times we watch without much praying. When we watch and pray in tandem, we can receive just what we need to get through the hour, day, week or months. If we pray and don’t watch, we miss what God is trying to say to us. If we watch without praying, we end up full of anxious thoughts, but when we watch and pray, God shows us that He is with us.
Jesus said to His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.” —Matthew 26:41
You are being severely tempted right now to give yourself over to fear. You are being tempted to live by the old nature rather than the new nature. The new nature we have in Christ did not come equipped with any fear, but fully equipped with faith in God. One thing to watch is not so much the news, but to watch yourself, that you don’t give in to the fear.
“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.”
—Mark 13:33
“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” —Luke 21:36
God in heaven sees those among us who give themselves to this spiritual activity. He knows the very ones who ask for eyes to see and ears to hear. God will honor those who occupy themselves in the disciplines of watching and praying. When we give ourselves to prayer, it’s like using the pry bar on our spiritual eyes to give us vision more than most people can see during a crisis such as the coronavirus.
By now you may have gone a great deal of time in your walk with God without really knowing how to watch and pray, but now is a good time to learn how. Only by faithful and fervent praying can you see the warnings and affirmations and directions God is giving. In the days ahead, learn how to watch and pray and what you will see is your fear fading and God’s presence appearing in so many different ways. Believe this, there is more taking place right now than what you see and hear in the news. But the only way you will know is by watching and praying. Watch and pray!
Really needed that this morning. A lot of times even though I pray the scales still cover my eyes and I miss the intentions GOD has for me.