Defense Against Distractions

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23 NIV

Perhaps they didn’t get enough sleep the night before; maybe they were worn out from a hard day’s work. Or maybe the clock ticked “bedtime.” We’ve all been victims of drowsiness, so we shouldn’t be surprised the three young men fell asleep. But we are! We’re shocked because it was such an important night. This night, more than any other, required disciplined vigilance.

Jesus, about to begin His journey to the cross, asked the disciples to pray for Him. Imagine His disappointment when He found Peter, James, and John sleeping instead. Victims of drooping eyelids, the disciples missed an opportunity to encourage and strengthen Jesus in His moment of greatest need. And they missed the opportunity to strengthen themselves through prayer as well.

Satan knows if he can keep us from worship, he can keep us from spiritual power. He is the master distracter, able to deter us from worship with his tactics. How many times have we been distracted from our private worship by the TV, the telephone, a messy house, our to-do list, a wandering mind, or heavy eyelids?

When we prepare our hearts for personal worship, we must remember to guard our hearts from the distractions of Satan.