Could You Not Tarry?

Jesus had just taken His disciples into the Garden of Gethsemane and told them to pray. Then Jesus went a little further and prayed. When He returned, He found His disciples sleeping. He woke them and said;

Could you not tarry (watch) with Me one more hour? Matthew 26:40

Jesus left them again and told them to pray. But when He returned, He found them sleeping again.  

To tarry means to:

a: to delay or be tardy in acting or doing. b: to linger in expectation: wait. 2: to abide or stay in or at a place. (www.meriam-webster.com)

When you tarry, you are waiting and watching.  You are lingering in expectation for His presence.  

“Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

Could this be a clue as to why tarrying in prayer is so important?  I think so.  I believe that there are times when we must tarry. I believe waiting on the Lord strengthens us in ways nothing else can.  

I know for sure that if I am “prayed up,” I am “armored up,” then when I am tempted in life, I am strengthened in the power of Jesus’ might, and I can resist.  These are words of great importance to us!  

Tarrying goes against the flesh.  The flesh wants to get in and get out.  If we learn to practice His presence, the exchange far exceeds its weight in glory rather than leaving early just because we are in a hurry. 

I imagine the disciples would have stayed awake a while longer, wide awake, had they only known. 

So, what do you do if there is a prayer assignment and you are physically tired?  

You pray and stay. Press in, pray, and tarry there. There is almost always a supernatural exchange. When we do this, we can leave that place of prayer prepared, ready, and equipped with what we need when we need it.  

“When we learn to wait and tarry in prayer, we encounter His presence, and this brings much provision in the spirit.” Jen Meyers

Learning to wait is a discipline we must purposely learn.   If we will practice this principle in life, we will not be disappointed. A muscle of faith develops in the believer who practices waiting in expectation.

Waiting for the Lord with active anticipation is to be bound with Him until we know we have heard from or encountered Him.

Those who wait…

The idea of waiting might sound like a passive exercise; however, it is quite the opposite. When you are waiting, you actively and intentionally seek and focus with all your affections towards Him.  Waiting, or to wait for Him, is much more than sitting there doing absolutely nothing.                                             

Waiting means to wait actively with anticipation, watching with hope for God to act.                                                                                                                                             

Your heart position is to be one of an expectant attitude of faith seeking until you find or encounter.

“If we provide space for God to fill, He will fill it.” Jen Meyers

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart.  Wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalms 27:14

To wait on Yahweh means: you are waiting for His help, putting your trust, hope, and confidence in Him.  You are active in your faith. Your heart is in a posture of faith towards God. You are sure and steadfast.  Your wait will be feeding on faith.  Just like peace is active, waiting is active. You are actively trusting, hoping, and waiting in faith. Seeking you will find it. Hallelujah.    

You are expecting deliverance through the promises of God; He is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). He will do what He has promised.

What do you do when waiting on the Lord?

Occupy the moment and space you are in but do not forget that God will answer because He always does.  His timing is not always our timing, but His timing is always perfect.

Trust is developed in the waiting.  Those who have learned to wait on the Lord trust the Lord.  Those who trust the Lord do not mind waiting on the Lord, for they know He is faithful and good. 

Serving Jesus, as we tarry and wait together,

Jen Meyers