Magdy Samuel

Serialized Articles From:
"Peace amid Pain"

Last Published Devotions

The Treatment through three verbs
Second verb: Gird (3)

The Apostle Peter spoke much about vigilance and watching; it’s He who said  “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers” (1 Peter 4:7). Why the Apostle Peter was the most who talked about awakening?! Because he was the most who slept and wronged as a result of his sleep.

He slept at the mountain of transfiguration: “But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.” (Luke 9:32-33). So Peter, for he was heavy in sleep, was wrong in what he said.

He also made a mistake when he slept in the garden. “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear” (John 18:10).

Peter slept also on the housetop. “Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance… And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common” (Acts 10:10-15). Peter has refused what God has offered him of food saying: “Not so, Lord!”; How dare he says “NO” to the Lord! Here Peter was wrong also.

Inside the prison, Peter slept also. “An angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up” (Acts 12:7). If we compared Peter with the Apostle Paul in prison, we will find out that the Apostle Paul did not sleep till midnight, it was said: “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25). Peter has experienced the sleep and its consequences, therefore he warned us of spiritual sleep.

May God protect us from this spiritual sleep during which, Satan is able to insert into our minds his deceitful thoughts thus distracting us and disturbing our beliefs; the enemy usually comes at night when people are sleeping for our Holy book says: “But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way” (Matthew 13:25); through the Apostle Paul, Our Lord, alerted us from Satan’s thoughts saying: “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

Let’s learn from Job the awakening of mind, when his wife, the closest to him, came out while he was in pain, trying to let him doubt in his heart in God’s goodness saying to him: “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he was not affected with what she said and answered her, confident in God: “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:10).

Magdy Samuel