20 Apr, 2011
Sleeping On The Job
Lately it seems as though every time I turn on the news, there's another story of an air traffic controller caught sleeping on the job. It always catches my attention, probably because my father was an air traffic controller. I grew up fascinated with the profession, thinking it was one of the coolest things, ever, that he got to talk to airplanes all day. Dad used to give me tours of the tower, letting me watch as he told airplanes when to land and take-off and where to taxi. I remember going into the radar room and the darkness was so overwhelming that I could hardly see my hand in front of my face. Despite his love for his job and for aviation, I'm sure there were times when Dad was tempted to snooze while working the night shift. . . when airplanes' comings and goings were few and far between, in the wee hours of morning. After all, lights are dim in the tower (they have to be for controllers to see the runways and do their job), and shifts are long.
According to an article on yahoonews.com, "It has been an open secret in the FAA dating to at least the early 1990s that controllers sometimes sleep on the job. Toughest are the midnight shifts, which usually begin about 10 p.m. and end about 6 a.m. Scientists say it would be surprising if controllers didn't doze sometimes because they are trying to stay awake during the time of day when the body naturally craves sleep. Studies show that 30 percent to 50 percent of night-shift workers report falling asleep at least once a week while on the job, according to Dr. Charles Czeisler, chief of sleep medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston." However, some close calls and collisions have proven that even a seemingly harmless nap can prove to be disastrous.
(Photo courtesy of Google Images)
Matthew 26:36-46 (NIV)
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!”
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about being watchful and alert?
Jesus, feeling distraught and overwhelmed by everything that was about to happen, asked three of his closest friends to join him in the Garden of Gethsemane to help keep watch and pray for him while he spent some time with God. Jesus only asked them to do two things: stay awake and pray. But, it was late and the three men were tired. Who can blame them? After all, who hasn't fallen asleep during their night-time prayers? The problem here is that the disciples failed to understand the urgency of their situation. While they had no way of knowing that Jesus was about to be betrayed and arrested, their level of exhaustion keeps them from picking-up on how sorrowful and pained Jesus' spirit is, causing them miss out on an opportunity not only to support their friend, but also to recognize the significance of what Jesus is doing and what he is asking them to do.
How can I connect today's story and God's Story scripture to my life?
In what area of your life have you hit the snooze button? Is there a part of your life that God is trying to wake you up and make you more alert? Maybe it's in regards to your prayer life, scripture studies, or just personal habits. God is at work all around you, are you seeing and experiencing Him? Is He using you to touch hearts and show His love, or are you too distracted or exhausted to even notice? Pray and ask God to give you whatever it is you need (the things He has, specifically for you) to make you more alert and watchful for what He is doing. Ask God to open your eyes and use you for His glory.
How can I connect today's God's Story scripture and my story to others?
Re-read today's scripture passage (Mt. 26:36-46) and consider the way in which the disciples totally missed the sorrow and pain that Jesus was feeling when he asked his friends to stay up with him and pray. Don't let that be you - pray and ask God to help you be the kind of friend who is sensitive enough to pick up on such clues in your own life. Is there someone in your life who is reaching out in need of some support and encouragement? Don't leave them hanging. Reach out, pray for them, and let them know you are there to help however possible.
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