The Privilege of Praying Without Ever Having to Stop

I originally wrote this about 2 years ago at the start of the whole COVID mess. I though I would share it here. It seems fitting.

The Privilege of Praying Without Ever Having to Stop.

Pray Without Ceasing!

There has been extra talk about prayer over the past few days. This is very good. We have recently seen more posts calling for prayer passed along on social media, calls for days of prayer from the White House, and many other such things things. I am of course all for such things. But for us as Christians though, times like this with the issue our nation (world) is currently facing, and the calls for prayer that go along with them, should only serve as a gentle reminder of what we should already be doing, with or without a crisis.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul tells believers to pray without ceasing. This means without omission (as in don’t leave anything out); without occasion (or without “special” reason). This IS indeed a command, however it is most definitely NOT a burden, to say the least. This command would be the equivalent of my employer ordering me to accept a 200% pay raise whether I liked it or not; the equivalent of someone allowing a physician to heal them of a horrendous disease whether they liked it or not…you get the idea. It is MORE THAN OK to bring your concerns to God; you are in fact REQUIRED to do so. He’s not too busy for you!

He wants to be involved with all of the details of your life. He wants to give you His power to overcome the evil one as well as His ultimate peace that is beyond understanding (Phil. 4:6-7). He gives you the order to partake of the privilege, the comfort, the power of being in constant communication (better yet, communion) with Him. Remember that He loves you far more than you are capable of comprehending, at least on this side of eternity. He is your light and your salvation (Psalm 27:1). He put you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-14), and He knows you far better than you know yourself.

Remember, He is infinite (as in beyond and outside of time); He knows everything, including everything about you, from your birth to your death, even before you were born (Romans 8:29). Granted, He does not need for us to do anything to help Him; He is all sufficient. However He allows and wants us, his children, to be involved; to take part; to be His (our daddy's) helpers, as it were. Prayer is indeed a key component of this. As the old Hymn states so well “what a privilege it is to carry everything to God in prayer!”

God bless.

J.J.R.