Pray Continually

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 11, 2015 

Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

What do I do continually? I breathe continually—even at night as my body rests—I breathe with a calm cadence. Breathing is mostly unconscious, unless oxygen to my lungs becomes restricted. If I am underwater too long—instinctively, I bolt to the surface gasping for air. My continuous prayers are like breathing. Sometimes my petitions happen automatically with little effort, other times I am fearful—spiritually smothered with an immediate need to seek heaven’s help. My continual prayers keep me connected to Christ, without which—I drown in self dependence.

What does it mean to pray continually? It is much more than an ongoing verbal barrage toward heaven. Humble, wordless cries to Christ draw us to Him, but prideful words pronounced in a self righteous tone isolate us. The soul’s unspoken requests to Jesus are just as necessary as conversational confessions. When we pray we tend to have a better day. Appointments with people run more smoothly when we keep our appointments with God. When we pray the Spirit shows us the way. A perilously empty scuba diving air tank resembles a suffocating, prayer-less soul.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26).

Does prayer really save us time? Yes but our agenda needs constant alignment with God’s agenda. Because there is ample time to do the Lord’s will, we require ongoing prayer for us to adjust around divine priorities. Championship teams often audible at the last second to assure victory over their opponent. Perhaps in prayer we discover a gentle, but firm answer of ‘no’ will get us to God’s best ‘yes.’ Faith is not fearful of disappointing people, but is committed to remaining true to Christ. When the Holy Spirit changes our heart, by faith we are wise to change our mind.

Consider employing a prayer card as part of your daily routine. Write down a verse, meditate on it and list any reflections and personal applications. On the back of the card pen a prayer to your heavenly Father and ask how the Holy Spirit may be speaking to your soul. For example you may pray something like, “Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me all I need. Show me what it means to be content in Christ in my current circumstance.” By faith, pray continually and the Holy Spirit will show you a better way—His ways are not our ways!

Be on the lookout for our upcoming Wisdom Hunter 30-day prayer challenge.

“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith” (2 Thessalonians 1:11).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, lead me by Your Spirit to be aware of constant prayer.

Application: Who needs my ongoing prayers?

Related Readings: Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 1:9; James 5:13-15; Jude 1:20

Tweet this today: Faith is not fearful of disappointing people, but is committed to remaining true to Christ. #continuallypray #WisdomHunters

Worship Resource: 4 minute video- Vince Gill: Go Rest High On That Mountain

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