Watch!

 "If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'" Mark 13:36-37

    Seasoned fishermen were traveling to the other side of the Sea of Galilee one evening when a furious squall arose. Waves broke over the sides of the boat until they were nearly swamped. It's easy to imagine the flurry of action that took place involving the bailing of water, the shouting of commands and the adjustment of sails. Meanwhile, Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. The frantic disciples shook Him awake with ragged voices saying, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" 

    After Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves, it became completely calm. Turning to His followers He quizzed, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:35-40)

    Allow me to paint a different scene. On a quiet evening after a full Passover meal, Jesus and His disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane, a grove on the Mount of Olives. Taking Peter, James and John further into the garden with Him, Jesus implored them to stay awake, watch and pray so that they would not fall into temptation. As the three dozed to a serenade of crickets beneath a moonlit expanse, a stone's throw away the soul of their Master was swamped with sorrow to the point of death as He pled with the Father in deep distress. Three times, He returned to His friends, only to find them sleeping. (Mark 14: 32-42)

    A storm of a very different nature was brewing in the heavenly realms that moonlit night as the clash of good verses evil rang out at a fevered pitch. The very climax of history, when Time would be cleaved in two like the veil in the temple, was fast approaching when the Son of Man would be lifted up drawing all people to Himself (John 12:32). Satan, that snake of deceit, would soon slither 'round His nailed feet on Calvary as if to taunt, "Try to crush my head beneath your heel now!" (Genesis 3:15) 

    Which scene is more conducive to sleep? The tempest on the lake or the dark, quiet garden? Yet, which of the two is more volatile with lasting results? 

    When Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse (see Mark 13), He implored the listeners (which includes you and me) to "Watch out...You must be on your guard...Pray...Keep watch...Be alert!" He warned against false prophets, persecution, rebellion and betrayal, while of physical threats such as wars and rumors of wars, he said, "Do not be alarmed." 

    In this world, we will have trouble which include literal storms like disease, tornadoes or even murder that threaten to take our very lives, but to lose one's soul is far worse. That is referred to as the "second death." (Revelation 20:6, 21:8) Of the attacks that threaten our faith in the promises of God, of these we must be alert, on guard and never sleeping, for if we lose that, we lose everything.

"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their own soul? (Matthew 16:26)

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28