May 26, 2025

Pray without ceasing?

 

In a weekly prayer time with 2-3 other women we formally pray, but also discuss our burdens and thoughts about walking with Jesus. We’ve agreed that God hears our discussions as prayer the same way He hears when we speak with bowed heads.

This morning I read a devotional thought that agrees. It says that “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is “the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts” flowing  ceaselessly without being conscious of it, and prayer is like that. Jesus keeps us in perfect relationship with God when we are obeying Him. Because this is so, our lives are the exercise of prayer. Because Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer and because His care is endless, I can be certain that He is continually at work to hear and answer me, whether I am speaking or not, and whether He is speaking to me or not.

This writer says we need to see what Jesus says about prayer and instead of excusing His words or trying to make sense of them, just do what He says about this fantastic privilege of having a two-way conversation with our Creator.

For instance, He says “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6) This warns me about praying to impress others, but also suggests that His answers may also be kept secret for a time.

Jesus makes prayer simple talk. “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7) I don’t need fancy or formal words.

I do need to persist though:
Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (Luke 11:5–10)
And I also need to believe that He is going to do what I ask:
Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:23-24)
But if I have a rift with others because of their sin, or any other reason, I need to first deal with that or any other sin of my own. He isn’t listening if I’m harboring unconfessed sin in any form:
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. (Mark 11:25)
Prayer is not all about what I want. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He began with praise and with a huge request: “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.’ ” (Luke 11:2) God’s priorities are far bigger than any requests about personal comfort!

I’m also to pray in His name, which is asking with the conviction that my requests represent His requests. “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13–14) Far too often, prayer is a personal request for personal comfort, not to glorify God or a request based on knowing His will.

All of these instructions mean knowing what He wants, not only in how to pray but what to pray for. I cannot assume that because I want it, Jesus also wants the same thing. He might, but if my prayer is totally selfish, His answer will include conviction to talk with Him about His will instead of my own.

PRAY: Father, in the name of Your Son, enable my prayer life to be more like His, that You will be glorified and I have nothing to boast about. May I also realize that everything I think, or say, or do, is communication with You — and for that reason, I need to listen more than I speak.



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