As I gathered this morning for prayer in the Worship Center, I thought of the many times that my flesh did not want to get up and pray. My spirit was willing but my flesh was weak. There was a time in the life of Jesus where the burdens of this world were so heavy on Him that He went to a garden called Gethsemane to pray. He was coming near to the end of His time with the disciples and His life as they knew it. “My soul is overwhelmed with the sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me” Matthew 26:38. Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him to pray for God’s will as He poured out His heart before the Lord. He returned to find the disciples in a state that many of us find ourselves – asleep. Jesus said, “Couldn’t you keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” Matthew 26:40-41. He went away and came back a second time only to find them asleep again. Then a third time it happened again.
Robert Murray McCheyne, a prayer warrior, wrote the following, “I ought to pray before seeing anyone. Often when I sleep long, or meet with others early, it is eleven or twelve o’clock before I begin secret prayer. This is a wretched system. It is unscriptural. Christ arose before day and went into a solitary prayer place. David says: ‘Early will I seek thee; Thou shall early hear my voice.’ Family prayer loses much of its power and sweetness, and I can do no good to those who come to seek from me. The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp not trimmed. Then when in secret prayer the soul is often out of tune. I feel it is far better to begin with God – to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it is near another.”
There are some people who have perfect pitch. When you ask them to sing a certain note, they hit it every time. Then there are those who are tone deaf. You ask them to hit a certain note and you will get many notes. Let’s just say it is not the right one. Vickie and I traveled with a girl in college who had perfect pitch. It was amazing to try to catch her off guard and see if she would hit the wrong note. It never happened. She got it right every time.
Living our life in perfect pitch is starting the day in the right posture. As we continue to fast and pray this month, don’t get discouraged. Don’t let your body dictate how you will live today. Do whatever it takes to put God first in all things.
I am praying for you as you pray and saturate in the Word of God. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the New Testament from our Community Bible Experience. I know that many are reading and finding new things they have never seen before. If you still want to begin this journey, it is not too late to pick up a New Testament at church.
May people find you in perfect peace (pitch) today because you have spent time with the Heavenly Father this morning.
Joy in Jesus!
Pastor Mike
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