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PRAY WITHOUT CEASING
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20
1 Thessalonians 5:17

1 Samuel 12:19-24

 

“Pray without ceasing.”

 

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING
 
This next command is one that is oft quoted, oft preached upon, but one that is sadly not so often obeyed. Yes, we may be regular with our prayers, praying every morning or night, or before every meal. We may have a list of things that we are interceding regularly for, but are we really praying without ceasing?
 
To pray without ceasing means that we are constantly and continually in communion with God. It does not mean that we do nothing but pray, but what it does mean is that we are not to do anything without prayer. Daily, we must keep the channels of communication open with the Lord. We are conscious and aware of His abiding presence with us, and know that at any moment throughout the day, we can always retreat into His arms and seek Him in prayer. Whether they are times of joy, sorrow, despair or excitement, we are calling upon God and sharing each moment with Him. Is that a description of your prayer life? Many believers seem content to live their lives according to their own understanding, seldom seeking after the Lord. They do not feel any desire to spend time in solace with Him. They may whisper a prayer in the morning, but after that, all communications are severed until the end of the day. There is no thought of God in their commute to work, nor is there any consideration of Him as they engage in their work. Often, they care more for the will of their bosses than for the will of God. Like proud teenagers who think they can make it on their own without their parents, they only realise how important their parents are when trouble comes.
 
Let us repent of our prayerlessness and seek to cultivate a more consistent prayer life. Let us start by praying and asking the Lord to teach us to pray, and to help us to pray more. The more we do not feel like praying, the more we need to pray! We must cultivate an awareness of the abiding presence of God in our lives, to know that He is always near and ever willing to hear our prayers. The more we know God and His Word, the more informed our prayers can be, and the more we would want to pray.
 
THOUGHT: Ere you left your room this morning, did you think to pray?

PRAYER: Father, teach me to pray, and help me to pray more.

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