The early Christian converts were very diligent about praying. Each one had their own special place outside the village where they went to pray in solitude. They reached these “prayer rooms” by using their own private footpaths through the bush. When grasses began to grow over any of these footpaths, it was evident that the person to whom it belonged was no longer praying. Therefore, anyone who noticed such overgrown grasses on any “prayer path,” would go to the prayerless believer and lovingly warn, “Brother, your footpath is covered with overgrown grasses!”
In Mark 14:32-40, Jesus Christ raised the issue of overgrown grasses on some footpaths in the garden of Gethsemane with his three closest disciples - Peter, James and John. The attitude and disposition of these three disciples clearly revealed that their footpaths were already overgrown with weeds as they were no longer active in the place of prayer. These disciples were sleeping when they should have been praying. They seemed to have embraced the philosophy of "Day-time believers" who sleep through the night like Koalas. They lack the understanding that the night hour is the most active period in the kingdom of darkness. In fact, the Bible says the night time is a very viable breeding ground for all kinds of wickedness and evil manifestations in the world (Micah 2:1, Matt 13:25, Psalms 91:6, Psalms 59:6). So, the night hour is a crucial time that believers must utilize wisely. They are not expected to pray only in the day time but at night also (Luke 18:7). This deep understanding made Jesus Christ always spend quality time during the night to fellowship with His father (Luke 6:12-13). Therefore, if our perfect example, does not sleep throughout the night, then, why are believers sleeping like Peter, James and John in this generation?
At such a time like this, when wickedness is increasing at an exponential rate, how can we be sleeping when the devil is busy working very hard to sow terrible tares into people’s lives (Matthew 13:25). This is a clear sign that the footpaths of many believers to the garden of prayer are completely overgrown with weeds. This is a very serious matter! We have become over confident, lazy and careless in climbing the mountain of prayer, especially at night. The giant of prayerlessness has swallowed up our personal devotion and sweet fellowship with God. Like the foolish Galatians, we have tried to use human strength and effort to complete the work of grace that the Holy Ghost started in the place of prayer (Galatians 3:3). What an absurdity!
I perceive God would like to wake up all believers with overgrown weeds on their footpaths in our generation from their slumber. God is sending a loving warning to every slumbering Peter, James and John in His kingdom. Are you one of them? Are your footpaths already overgrown with weeds? Has the giant of prayerlessness swallowed you up? Are your knees unbended? Has the mountain of sin, laziness and pride crippled your fellowship with God? Why are you no longer excited about the sweet hour of prayer as you used to do when you first got saved? Don't you think you need urgent help before it is too late? I sincerely think you do!
Beloved, God is still asking us the same question he asked Peter, James and John several years ago. God is saying "Can you stay awake for just one hour to pray with me? Can you deny yourself of sleep just to seek my face at least one hour every night? Can you stop wasting your time watching movies or browsing the internet and fellowship with me?’’ Where are the praying men? Where are the praying women? Where are the praying children, teenagers and youths? What will be your response to these crucial questions that God is asking us? Please be sincere and wake up from your slumber!
The lyrics of this wonderful hymn below captures the mind of God on this subject:
I WANT THAT MOUNTAIN By Bill Harvey, 1989
I saw the Giant of Prayerlessness upon the mountain high;
He laughed so hard at my unbended knee.
No longer in the Wilderness I'll stay, and so I cry:
I want that mountain, it belongs to me!
Chorus:
I want that mountain! I want that mountain!
Where the milk and honey flow, where the grapes of Eshcol grow,
I want that mountain! I want that mountain!
The mountain that my Lord has given me.
There was a Giant of Laziness who said I wouldn't go
And witness for the One who set me free.
I'll come from out the Wilderness, I'll witness now I know;
I want that mountain, it belongs to me!
One faithless Giant upon the crest of Hebron's lofty height
Has vowed that he's the one to make me flee.
I'll climb from out the Wilderness! and trust Jehovah's might!
I want that mountain, it belongs to me!
Let ev'ry Giant of Distress and Unbelief and Sin
Get ready now to vacate, for you see:
I've come from out the Wilderness! I know I'm going to win!
I want that mountain, it belongs to me!
May God rekindle fresh fire upon our prayer altars to consume all overgrown weeds on our footpaths to the secret place. May the giant of prayerlessness and mountain of laziness mocking our destiny in Christ Jesus be completely defeated so that we can begin to enjoy all the numerous benefits of abiding in the secret place of the most high at all times
Good day and God bless you.
Maranatha!
Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo
https://okanlawontaiwo.blogspot.com
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