Luke 22:46
And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
Luke 22:46
Jesus challenges the sleeping disciples: “Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” The command reinforces the previous exhortation: vigilance in prayer is essential to withstand temptation. The call to rise after sleep is both literal and symbolic—awakening to spiritual alertness.
This verse reinforces the notion that spiritual combat requires ongoing prayerful attention. It also reveals Jesus’s role as a faithful shepherd who calls his followers to participate in the discipline of perseverance in faith, especially as betrayal and crisis loom.
We can apply this as a practical prompt to re-prioritize prayer in moments of fatigue or overwhelm. Practical steps: set a nightly or morning prayer target; use a simple primer such as “God, help me withstand temptation today”; institute a 2-minute prayer routine before important tasks. For example, before handling a heated discussion or making a risky decision, pause to pray briefly.
Cross-References: Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Romans 8:26-27; Luke 18:1; 1 Peter 4:7