Post #10: The Fourth Watch
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 (Week 3 Post Treatment)
An Early Morning Talk with God
“During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them (the disciples), walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’” Matthew 14:25-27
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew night was divided into three watches: the First Watch, 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm (Lamentations 2:19); the Middle Watch, 10:00 pm to 2:00 am (Judges 7:19); and the Morning Watch, 2:00 am to 6:00 am (Exodus 14:24).
The New Testament reflects the Roman military system of four night watches: the First Watch 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm (Matthew 26:20); the Second Watch 9:00 pm to midnight (Acts 16:25); the Third Watch midnight to 3:00 am (Matthew 26:34); and the Fourth Watch 3:00 am to 6:00 am (Matthew 14:25).
It was during a fourth watch that Jesus appeared to the disciples as they were in a boat on the lake during a storm. At first they were frightened, but Jesus’ presence and words comforted them.
The modern day concept of the Fourth Watch has become a spiritual time of prayer and reflection. The dark of night symbolizes dark times in our lives with the anticipation of the coming dawn of light. It is a time when the world is especially quiet, the veil especially thin. I view it as a time when Jesus is waking me up seeking my undivided attention away from the distractions of the day.
I used to fight against the waking. I would toss and turn trying to get comfortable to fall back asleep. But my mind was more of the problem than my body. So I learned to embrace it. I accepted His invitation to talk and it has made all the difference.
My Journal (Tuesday, June 2, 2026)
I woke at 4:24. Actually, I woke at 12:15 and 2:05 and then . . . 4:24.
Can’t sleep – The 3 am hour. The veil is thin. I started talking to God. I literally cried out for deliverance of my circumstances. I surrendered, again, my body to Him to heal. I cried out for Him to restore me. Then I got up and took communion in the dark. Made my coffee and sat outside in His creation to watch His sunrise. It was magnificent. We continued to talk. We had a great conversation. I just shared with Him what was on my mind with tears on my face. And then I realized something. He had answered my biggest prayer, the one I had been praying for months. The one that I mentioned in the very first post. My prayer to send me, Lord. Use me. And that is exactly what He is doing. When I was praying those prayers, I most likely already had cancer in me. I didn’t know that but, of course, El Roi (The God who sees) did. HE knew what was coming. He answered my prayer by nudging me to get them out. He did NOT give me cancer, but it is His plan to use that for the good. It is my surrender to His plan that allows it to work. His sovereignty and my free will working together. Surrender must be part of my free will. I have the free will to want God’s will. He chose me before I was born, and I choose Him every day of my life.
Three days later, my hair started falling out. Reality of the long-haul of this illness was setting in. I had to remind myself that “The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1). In other words, the Psalmist is telling me that because I have Jesus, I lack for nothing – including my hair.
How often I hear people say they wake at the same time every night. Johnny wakes around the 3:00 hour. I have been waking more often lately. Realizing I’m in a “dark” season of life, I suppose the night seems darker. But God uses that time to teach me that he is with me in the darkness. He is with me in the valley. He is with me in the fire. He is with me always. And so I have found great comfort alone with Him in that fourth watch, anticipating and watching in awe the sunrise.
"From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised." Psalm 113:3
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23
"...the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." Luke 1:78-79
PRAYER
Lord, we praise you that your mercies are new every morning. They never come to an end. We praise you from morning to night that you are with us in the darkest times. We thank you that you guide our feet onto the path of peace. Jesus, thank you for being the light of the world. You are our source of truth and eternal life. Light shines in the darkness and darkness cannot overcome it. Your love is steadfast and true. Thank you, Jesus, for your never-ending faithfulness. Amen.
