Have you ever found a verse that leaves you with a question mark? Sometimes you need an answer, then you don’t know what to do with the answer you just read.
So here’s my question, how often should we pray? What does God really expect of us?
Of course, Daniel prayed three times a day. Ok, that’s doable.
But what about the verse “pray without ceasing”? That seems like a lot. Is this even possible?
Background
Timothy sent word to Paul that the church of Thessalonica was struggling. They were being persecuted.
In return, there are many things that Paul instructed this church to do, but in 5:16-18 Paul says pointedly, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
No matter what you are dealing with, rejoice, pray and give thanks.
How can I pray without stopping? I don’t know about you but my body needs rest and sustenance. So how do I do this?
This verse does not mean that we need to be on our knees 24 hours a day. It means that we need a heart for prayer and a realization that God is available and accessible at all times.
Praying without ceasing is like having a finger marking a page while flipping to another page. You won’t lose your spot and you will be coming back soon. Praying without ceasing means you pause to do something then you come right back to it. You are never too far away from prayer.
When Jesus died for us, the veil was torn. This is a symbol that we have complete access to the throne of God through prayer.
This access is even better than Americans being given complete access to the White House. Can you imagine that? And this is better!
Here are some important things to remember about prayer.
- Praying without ceasing means our heart should always be ready for prayer.
- Our first response to anything should be prayer.
- No matter what we are doing, we can pray. My best prayers often happen while I drive, take a walk, or even fold the laundry. Prayer is a gift that we can open anytime of the day no matter what our hands are doing.
- Praying without ceasing truly shows us that prayer is available all day, every day. It is a tool for us to use no matter what is going on or where we are at.
How is your prayer life? Do you enjoy the access we’ve been granted to our Heavenly Father? Leave a comment below and let’s talk.
I love this , thank you.