Wednesday 19 September 2012

Luke 9:32 « Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. »

Jesus knew exactly what awaited Him on that mountain when He invited Peter, James and John to accompany Him.  That’s why He told His disciples to fast and pray in anticipation of what was to come.  Now, I can’t say that I blame these three guys for falling asleep; they were exhausted!  That’s why the 9 disciples who were left at the foot of the mountain to do “crowd control” fell asleep spiritually.  When a desperate father brought his demon-possessed son to them they were unable to cast the spirit out.

It is some what ironic to think that at the most amazing moment in the life of Jesus, when the glory of heaven envelopped him, his most trusted men, and best trained disciples were over come by sleep!  How often that happens today among Christians who are the best trained, the best fed and the most blessed.  I believe that our greatest enemy is NOT the devil; our greatest enemy is spiritual slumber!

I like the way the story is told by Luke.  It doesn’t say that the three disciples were sleeping.  It says that they were sleepy.  In other words they had fallen into a state that wasn’t exactly sleep; but they were certainly not alert!

And when they became fully awake, they saw His glory!  So many of God’s people around the world have fallen into that comatose state that the disciples were in.  While the nine struggled at the foot of the mountain to cast out a demon without any significant manifestation of God’s glory, the three on top of the mountain were literally just a few meters away from one of the most spectacular manifestations of God’s glory ever seen by man!  Yet they didn’t see it in the beginning because they were sleepy.

In a manner, we could say of God that on the mountain He awakened to His Son Jesus.  God took the first step.  He awakened His zeal. When the three disciples had become fully awake, then they saw the glory too!

My friend we are about half way through the fast right now; and we say to you, “Shake off the slumber today; it is time to wake up.  God’s glory is here.