January 17, 2022 – “Minding Your P’s & Q’s” (Matthew 26:36-45)

^“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Matthew 26:36-45

“Minding Your P’s & Q’s”

This is a phrase we hear a lot when adults are speaking to children, albeit a bit of an outdated phrase. It is a term that has come to signify that you are taking care, watching what you are doing, working hard to get it right. The origins on this idiom are actually rather simple. This one dates back to a time when local taverns, pubs and bars served drinks by the quart and by the pint. Bar maids had to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming. They had to pay special attention to which patrons were drinking pints and which were drinking quarts — thus the term came to be known, “minding your p’s and q’s.”

Jesus often warned his disciples to “keep awake” – “be alert” – and to be watchful. Why? Well, even in the time of Jesus, it was easy for life to get in the way of maintaining a strong relationship with G-d. When we are facing daily struggles and trying to scratch out a living, we can lose our focus – especially lose our focus on what truly matters. Jesus was warning his disciples to keep awake for the coming of G-d’s kingdom in their midst – and for the coming of G-d. Both were incarnated through Jesus – he is G-d and his birth inaugurated the coming of the Kingdom of G-d.

My friends, keep awake – for we know neither the time nor the date of Christ’s return. Yet, we continue to live into the promise that he is coming – and actually comes to each one of us every day.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, help me to stay awake and notice your presence this day. Allow me time to be quiet and to hear your still, small voice. Amen.

Pastor Dave