Watchmen on the Wall

"On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; 
All day and all night they will never keep silent. 
You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves, 
and give Him no rest until He has establishes and 
makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth."
Isaiah 62:6-7

"The LORD saw that there was no justice, 

and He was offended.

He saw that there was no man - 

He was amazed that no one was interceding...."

Isaiah 59: 15b-16

I don't know exactly how long this picture has hung over the drinking fountain in the youth room at my church. I can't say I ever noticed it until the week that my youth pastor pointed it out. The watchman, asleep at his post, as the enemy marches on the city.

It was just a quick little rest. No big deal. And besides, there were watchmen on every tower. One voice, on trumpet, one pair of eyes - what difference would it make? Besides, it's not like the whole city wouldn't notice if the enemy approached. And so he slept.

How long had he been sleeping? How long since the last time he had alerted his city? How could he? Why would he sleep at his post? Did he care nothing for his city?

But can I fault him? Haven't I done the same? 

Or maybe it's even worse than that. I haven't been asleep. I'm not the sleeping watchman, but the watchman that does nothing. 

The silent watchman. The watchman that neglects their prayer life because assignments have deadlines. The watchman that keeps their mouth shut because one voice speaking the truth isn't going to make much of a difference anyway. The watchman who doesn't lift their horn to their lips because the city is about to be sieged and it's to risky to draw attention to oneself.

The watchman who faithfully cries out to God for their country every National Day of Prayer, but gets caught up in the details of life throughout the rest of the year.