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.

God is glorified when He takes care of needs

 

As today’s devotional says, praying for daily bread in my situation is not as necessary as praying for self-control so I don’t overeat. Yet I agree that when Jesus says to ask: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11) He is not talking about food only. This prayer acknowledges that God provides all daily necessities. My husband sets a good example by thanking God for another day, air to breathe and many things easily taken for granted.

Some people treat God as a genie in a bottle, a power to meet their needs without thinking that the purpose of prayer is to glorify God. Jesus says:

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)

Jesus did speak of daily necessities as well. In the time and place He lived, this was a common concern, just as it is in various parts of the world today. He said,

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:31–33)

For those who are not anxious about food and clothes, the promises of answered prayer still hold. Right after this one about necessities, Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)

This strikes home. This morning I’ve the following anxieties: a quilt for some special people but the design has me stumped. How can I fix it so it looks good and is the right size? Income tax time is looming and I cannot find the receipt for church donations; it seems to have vanished? An organization I belong to recently changed their policies and all their officials have no job descriptions — I have been given the responsibility to see that this happens. Then there are dozens of prayer requests plus the ones listed in a couple of prayer apps on my phone, plus the stuff from this morning’s newspaper. Future plans aside; today’s troubles are already enough!

Yet this morning’s time of worship included that song, “Count your blessings” so I did a short version and realize that this thankful part of prayer glorifies God; He has answered prayer in so many ways. In the past few weeks, we have not had any wants for anything, and to ice that cake, we’ve also seen growth in our church (it is bursting at the seams), healing for a man who was dying, baptisms, new believers, prodigals return to their faith in God, and a host of smaller things, like Him using mistakes for good and remarkable ‘coincidences’ that bring praise to our hearts and lips.

Lord Jesus, may trusting You for everything never become a selfish demand that You to do what I want, or me treating You as a “celestial vending machine” rather than Almighty God to whom I also pray, “Thy will be done.” As our son’s wife recently said, “God knows best” and Your decisions are not only wise, but loving. You take care of us so well. May I always pray in faith like the wise person who said:

Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:8–9)

You tell me that You will take care of me, but You also say not to lay up treasure on earth or pray for things that glorify myself and not You. Forgive all sinful selfishness in my prayers and enable me to instead pray so that You are glorified!

CHECK OUT: Matthew 6:19–34 and James 4:3.