Always Watching Always Praying
These two things we do so that we make be able to escape and stand in the Lord's presence
So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.
Luke 21:36
Our Lord gives instruction here to always do two things, and why. We are to keep watch and to pray. These two are required for obtaining the necessary strength to escape evil, and to be present with the Lord.
First, we are to be alert, keeping watch like a sentinel at post. To do this, we must be awake or sleepless, being diligent in looking out for snares of temptation, evils, sins and compromises. We do need our beauty rest, but we’ve noted before the many times Jesus arose early to pray. How He must have draw physical energy from private communing with our Father. So set yourself to rise up even 15 or 30 minutes earlier to simply be watchmen, in prayer.
We are to pray always, that is, to entreat, plead, ask, and make supplications before our Lord, for more grace in all the activity in the day ahead. The wolves are prowling at the door, our adversary is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. And so we are in constant need of God’s supply to stand in faith. Note how Daniel was in prayers three times each day. So also we, be always alert and praying.
Jesus had been earlier speaking to the disciples of things to come, including wars and commotions, earthquakes and famines, persecutions and the days of vengeance before His return. Then He warns them, and us, to watch out that our hearts not be weighed down by cares in the life.
The two things we are to always do will give us two things: the ability to prevail against the falling away, escaping through these things Jesus says will be happening. And to stand before Him in eternity.
Having strength means to be able to overpower some obstacle or enemy. And to escape is being able to flee away. We will take our stand (resist) against the evils of the world, the devil, and the flesh. These things, says Jesus, are coming upon the world, and we need to watch and pray to get through them and remain in Him.
And having withstood, we come through these calamities counted worthy to be in His presence. Unlike the ungodly and wicked who deny and defy Him. “For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” (Psalm 1:6)
To stand before the Son of Man is to be with Him when He comes again. We will meet Him at His coming like this—with joy and comfort; “And now, little children, remain in Christ, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” (1 John 2:28)
Says Matthew Henry:
This command is given to all Christ's disciples, Take heed to yourselves, that ye be not overpowered by temptations, nor betrayed by your own corruptions. We cannot be safe, if we are carnally secure. Our danger is, lest the day of death and of judgment should come upon us when we are not prepared. Lest, when we are called to meet our Lord, that be the furthest from our thoughts, which ought to be nearest our hearts. For so it will come upon the most of men, who dwell upon the earth, and mind earthly things only, and have no converse with heaven. It will be a terror and a destruction to them.
Here see what should be our aim, that we may be accounted worthy to escape all those things; that when the judgments of God are abroad, we may not be in the common calamity, or it may not be that to us which it is to others. Do you ask how you may be found worthy to stand before Christ at that day? Those who never yet sought Christ, let them now go unto him; those who never yet were humbled for their sins, let them now begin; those who have already begun, let them go forward and be kept humbled.
Watch therefore, and pray always. Watch against sin; watch in every duty, and make the most of every opportunity to do good. Pray always: those shall be accounted worthy to live a life of praise in the other world, who live a life of prayer in this world. May we begin, employ, and conclude each day attending to Christ's word, obeying his precepts, and following his example, that whenever he comes we may be found watching.
Until Thursday, grace and peace…
Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash