Pray!

Pray!

Pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV

The Context:

This is most likely the second shortest verse in the bible, after the one where 'Jesus wept'. Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, reminding them of the day of the Lord, a day that will bring both joy and pain, depending on what that day finds in your heart and hands. Paul took time to explain to the church what things they were to be and what they were to be busy at, so that the day would meet them ready. If that message was important to the church at that time, more than 2,500 years ago when they were first written, imagine how relevant that message is for us today. If I have not known it yet, since I am still alive to read this, and the trumpet has not sounded, I still have an opportunity to get it right. It is too late when it is too late. 

Paul goes on to list the characteristics of a person who is eagerly awaiting the second coming of Christ. I must check my life to see if these things are in me: resist revenge; make sure no one pays back evil for evil; pursue doing what is beautiful to all people; let joy be your continual feast; in the midst of everything be always giving thanks. Today's extract is just another one of these life instructions. 

The Message:

The Passsion Translation of today's extract reads as follows: 'Make your life a prayer.' As I sit down to think of this instruction, I am reminded that prayer is less discussion and actual talking with God. Books have been written about the topic but it is hard to replace the actual act of prayer with a lot of knowledge about the topic. Knowing how to pray is important; actually praying to God is also quite important. What do you do when you pray: at the heart of prayer lies a heart that recognises its limitations and knows that the One to whom s/he prays to has all the answers. You may not always like what you hear at first, but the more you do it, the more you learn to embrace the perfect will of the One who has all things under his control. The more you pray, the more you can embrace the answers you get, and the less you struggle with them. The less I struggle with God's perfect will, the more my heart is at peace, no matter what goes on around me. Inner peace is the natural state of a person who knows the secret and the power of prayer. 

One of God's promises tied to prayer is: And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24 KJV. God has not asked me to waste my time speaking; he knows my need even before I open my mouth. He loves to hear me trust him with my life. He wants to know if I can leave all in His hands. When I truly pray, I am answering those questions. If you don't know how to, read the bible and check out the personal experiences of the people who held God's hands in prayer and moved him to act. There were men like Stephen who prayed even to death; Paul and Silas, who prayed even after being beaten. These men knew the power of prayer and the folly of grumbling about your lot in life. You can fret about what life throws at you, or you can throw those things at the feet of the one who can take care of them. The choice, as always, is personal.

The Response:

Now that I know that God wants to hear my voice, I must cultivate the habit of speaking to Him daily and regularly. It says I must do it without ceasing, and to make it my life, not just a part of it. It has to be all I breathe, if it is to be my life. I must not take any decision without first doing it, and it must be the main event of my life every day of my life. The benefits are both temporal and eternal. I gain a relationship with God and I gain an inheritance with Jesus at the end of my  earthly life. There is nothing to lose but all to gain. I ask God to teach me how to pray right, so that I can promote and preserve that which glorifies Him. His time of favour is here.