As I read The Book of Matthew, I realized how similar I am to the three disciples who slept while Jesus was preparing Himself for His death on the cross. My blogs often encourage, but today you will find me struggling with the Christian life issue of REGRET!

“Then he [Jesus] returned to his disciples and found them sleeping” (Matthew 26:40a NIV).

38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter” (Matthew 26:38-40 NIV).

I can relate to the disciples in these short verses. Jesus wanted his three disciples close by praying for Him as He went through a deep, agonizing struggle before being arrested and facing death on the cross. But physically, Peter, James, and John could not keep awake.

Maybe the disciples didn’t intentionally want to fall asleep. Perhaps they didn’t stay awake because they knew Jesus was going to pray too long. I guess that their physical stamina was limited, and they could not fight their weariness. But we can tell by Jesus’ words in Matthew 26:40b NIV that He was disappointed in them when He found them and said, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?”

One day in August 2021 I could not fight my weariness. It was the day my mother passed away. My older brother called me at 2:15 AM to come to her house. I arrived a short time later, and after twelve hours, by 2 PM, I was exhausted. I could not stay awake, so I went upstairs to take a nap. Mom died while I was asleep. Like the disciples, I couldn’t stay awake for Mom, not even my mom!

Yes, I regret that I was not present when she passed away. I wanted to be right by her side, holding her hand and cuddling her as she was ushered into her heavenly home, but physically I could not stay awake.

There are some lessons for me as I dwell on this today. I am waiting patiently for the Lord to show me what they are.

My dear followers, please pray for me because I still regret that I was not in the room with her holding her when she passed from this world to the next, just as the disciples most likely regretted their falling asleep on Jesus.  Despite their failure, these disciples were strategic instruments in proclaiming Christ throughout the early church, and that is my prayer—that you and I honor Christ in the generation we are now living.

Jesus was the best shepherd ever, and Mom was the best Mom ever! God’s strength will get me through today. However, occasionally, we face regrets. That is when we must fall into the arms of our Savior and rest in Him.

God’s strength will get YOU through today. However, every once in a while, on our Christian journey, we face regrets.

When regrets face us, let us remember what Jesus said.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28 NASB)

But God is so good. He left me with some loving pictures from when I held and cuddled Mom earlier in the day. Those pictures are tokens from heaven reminding me that I was there, just not right at the moment I wished I was.

God Bless,

Biblegateway. Accessed Jan 7, 2022. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2026%3A40&version=NIV

Edited by E. Johnson

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Books by Patti Greene

• Awaken Me – Devotional Workbook
• Anchor Me – Devotional Workbook
• Answer Me – Devotional Workbook
• Christian Caregiving

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