Justice Coleman
Justice Coleman

Sometimes, when I compare myself to Jesus’ disciples, I feel better about myself. In His greatest hour of need, Jesus asked His disciples for prayer, and they fell asleep.

In Matthew 26:40-41, “[Jesus] came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak’” (NKJV).

I know it sounds terrible, but this really encourages me. I have always struggled with a dedicated prayer time—Becoming a pastor didn’t help; it just made me feel worse!

All joking aside, I find this passage encouraging because it reminds me how much God believes in prayer. Jesus is God. God asked for prayer? Jesus, the Lord of all creation, the one who spoke all creation into existence and by whom all things are made, asked for prayer from humans?

Jesus shows us that prayer really does change things. It is clear He believes in prayer more than any of us, and it makes me want to take His direction for prayer more seriously. Your prayer matters to God. Today, let’s remember His direction to pray for workers in the harvest, not only as a commandment, but also as an invitation (Luke 10:2). Once again, Jesus reached out to His disciples for prayer. He believed their prayer could change things.

May our prayers change the landscape of worldwide evangelism.

Prayer + Reflection

  • Ask the Lord for His perspective to see ourselves the way God sees us.
  • Ask the Lord for His perspective to see others the way God sees them.
  • Ask the Lord for His perspective to see the lost the way God sees them.

is the senior pastor of Freedom Church (San Fernando Valley Freedom Foursquare Church) in North Hills, Calif.
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