Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Pray continually

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

How do you "pray continually"? When you read these words, do you think of a monk living in monastery, head bowed and hands clasped in prayer as he kneels for hours in a small, austere room? Do you say to yourself, "I could never be in prayer all day"?

I’d like you to think of continual prayer in a different way. Imagine living together with a loved one—a parent or sibling or spouse. After living together for a long period of time, it is likely that the two of you no longer talk constantly. As a matter of fact, you might only have a lengthy conversation over dinner. But you do communicate throughout the day, even though these exchanges are often brief. You might request an opinion on which shirt to wear with your slacks. You might ask for help with a stubborn jar lid. You might share a few words of amazed disgust over a disturbing story you hear on the news. Throughout the day, you are always aware that your loved one is near, and you take comfort from being able to exchange a quick word without having to dial a number or put a stamp on an envelope.

Prayer can be like that. In fact, prayer should be like that! God is with us constantly; He is privy to every moment of our day. What would your prayer life be like if you were always aware that He is in the room with you? You would have at least one lengthy conversation with Him each day, as you reflect on the joys and sorrows that fill your heart; this conversation might take place as you are digesting a meal, or when you are waking up to face a new day, or as you are settling into bed and are trying to put into perspective the events of the day just passed. But you will also find yourself chatting with the Lord as the events of the day unfold. In the morning you might say "Heavenly Father, the sky is so beautiful this morning—thank you for letting me see it!" As you see an emergency vehicle go by with its lights flashing, you might pray "Lord, please give them success." When you make a mistake that causes hurt to someone, you could say "Jesus, please give me the courage to say I’m sorry, and please, please help them to forgive me too." When the news tells of a missing child, you could ask "God, bring her home safely". When someone who seems upset wants to talk to you, you can silently pray "Spirit, give me wisdom!" And when you are feeling lonely, you can ask "Master, just hold me, please." When you say things like this throughout the day, you are "praying continually."

Blog Top Sites
Blog Directory & Search engine
Blog Directory