Without Ceasing

   

 "How on earth can I pray all the time?" I asked my mother.  We had been discussing the verses of I  Thessalonians 5:17-18 which reads:  "Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  She reminded me that all prayer does not have to be verbal.  We can pray quietly within our own minds.  This was a new concept for me.  I always thought you had to pray out loud or it didn't count.  In addition, I could not fathom how we could give thanks in all circumstances.  There are times when things were not going well, so was I supposed to be thankful to God for that?  Once again, mother patiently explained to me that we are to be thankful in all circumstances but not necessarily "for" the circumstances.  She helped me understand that prayer is an essential part of our daily lives.  This was just one of our many long conversations while I was studying the catechism around the age of twelve in preparation for church membership.
     As we continued our discussion, we turned our attention to "The Lord's Prayer" which we routinely said in our church service each week.  I wondered about why we had to memorize this prayer and why we said it each week.  My mother told me that it was the perfect prayer.  The Lord Jesus Christ gave it to His disciples as a model of how to come before the Father.  The first words of the prayer offer praise and recognition to God.  Then, it demonstrates our trust in God to meet our daily needs.  From there, we have opportunity to receive forgiveness as well as give it.  Finally, we are asking God to keep us from evil and temptation before ending with giving Him all glory and power.  When we recite this prayer, we are speaking the words given us by our Lord.  My mother explained that if we concentrate on what we are saying rather than merely reciting the prayer it will be fresh for us each time.  All of this made sense to me, and I am so grateful for a mother who took the time to talk with me concerning the things of the Lord.
     Since those early days of discussing prayer with my mother, I have learned to pray without ceasing by using my time wisely.  Instead of turning on the radio when I drive somewhere or talking on a cell phone, I pray for the needs of others.  I praise God for the beauty of the day.  When I go to work, I often run across people who need prayer.  Sitting at my desk, I often lift up a silent prayer for that person that God will meet them in their situation.  While I walk or exercise in the early part of the day, I pray as well.  Getting my exercise has been getting close to the Lord time too.  There are countless opportunities throughout every day to talk with God.
     If truth be told, I still struggle with giving thanks in all circumstances, but I have learned that God never wastes any trial.  He has much to teach us and what Satan means for evil the Lord turns for our good and growth.  With that in mind, I can thank Him.  After all, God is working to mold us into the likeness of His dear Son and that requires many different avenues to bring about change.  The only reason it is painful is because our old flesh wants to cling to sin.
     When it comes to "The Lord's Prayer", I find myself looking forward to it.  One of my favorite phrases is "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  In light of all that is happening in the world today, this is such an important petition.  We want God's Kingdom to come and for Him to set right our sin sick world.
     Prayer is a privilege.  The sovereign God and Creator allows us to commune with Him on a daily basis.  We have the opportunity to come before His throne with all our praises as well as our petitions.  Prayer is also a great blessing because it changes us as we spend time with God.  If only we would stop wasting time complaining and devote that time to talking with our Lord, we would find relief and answers.  Therefore, let us be a people of prayer and especially during this week of Thanksgiving, but we must not stop there.  Rather, let us be a people of unceasing prayer and watch what God will do as we lift our voices to Him.  Selah!

"Sweet Hour of Prayer"

   

A quiet side chapel in the Cathedral of York
Yorkshire England - a place of prayer

 In the later years of my father's life, I remember coming home for a visit and listening to my father play the organ in our living room.  While my dad had studied music at one time in his life, he never learned to play an organ or piano.  Instead, he relied on a color system to guide his fingers over the keys.  One of his favorite hymns he played each evening was "Sweet Hour of Prayer".  Somehow this beautiful hymn written in 1845 brought comfort to his soul, and the words of the first verse to this hymn express what many of us feel as we come to the Lord in prayer:
     " Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
      That calls me from a world of care,
      And bids me at my Father’s throne
      Make all my wants and wishes known.
      In seasons of distress and grief,
      My soul has often found relief
      And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
      By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!"
   
     Taking time to pray on a regular basis is a scriptural injunction with rich blessings.  I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us simply:  "...pray without ceasing..."  Setting aside time for God has to become a way of life for us - a spiritual discipline if you will.  In my own life, I find that quiet place while I exercise or go for a daily walk.  My mind is free to enjoy the presence of the Lord and commune with Him before my day begins.  Then, throughout the day, as things occur at the office or in our home, I lift up prayers to the Lord as well.  Knowing that God is with me all day long makes it easy to talk with Him concerning every circumstance in life.  We need not confine our prayers to a church service or for so many minutes during the day.  We are to pray without ceasing...this means all day long at various times and places.  When we realize this, it should free us up in our ongoing conversation with the Lord.
     In addition, the Bible gives us many reasons why we should want to pray.  For example, we are to pray for wisdom if we lack it in any manner and the Lord will give it if we ask in faith (James 1:5).  Then we are encouraged to pray if we are suffering (James 5:13-15), or if we are sick.  Likewise, we are to call upon the elders of our fellowship to pray for us and with us for healing.  God makes provision for all our needs by allowing us to come before Him in prayer.
     God also calls upon us to pray for our leaders both in the church and in our government.  Paul makes this clear in his letter to the Romans.  Our governmental leaders are placed there by God's direction, and by lifting them up, we can put them in the Lord's hands daily for wisdom and direction.
     Finally, we have so many examples of our Lord Jesus Christ taking time out for fellowship with the Father.  He was our perfect example of how to live before the face of God.  He taught us how to pray in the Lord's prayer.  He also demonstrated His love for both God and His fellow man when Jesus prayed in the Garden for us before His sacrifice on our behalf.  Prayer is no small thing!  It was the backbone of our Savior's ministry, and therefore, it should be for us as well.
     In my own family, I had the privilege of watching my Grandfather Engel kneel in prayer each day before he took a nap.  I saw my father and mother pray and meal time was always commenced with prayer.  These examples have stayed close to my heart, and I am so blessed to see our children teaching this to their own children.
     Prayer is the key that moves the hands of God, relieves an aching heart, brings peace when all else fails, provides strength for the day, and a place to leave our burdens at the feet of the only One who can deal with them.  Spending time in God's presence also changes us and molds us into the likeness of His Son.  May we discover today how the "Sweet Hour of Prayer" can change our hearts and lives into conformity with God's will.  He awaits us to call upon Him.  Selah!