April 24, 2017

Continually

Devotion for the Week...

I know of a young mom-to-be who has "cervical problems," as it was described to me. That, of course, means there is the potential of complications to the pregnancy. Since hearing about this, mom-to-be and baby have been weighing heavily on my mind.

Sometimes I pray what I would consider a "proper" prayer for them, a prayer where I am focused on talking to God and I pray in full sentences that make sense. It's the kind of prayer that could be considered part of a conversation.

Other times mom-to-be pops into my head while I'm in the midst of something and my prayer sounds more like "Please, God." No context, no complete sentences, nothing more than the vaguest of requests. But God knows exactly what I'm thinking and what I'm asking for. Psalm 139 says, "You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely" (Psalm 139:1-4). I find it comforting to know that God knows what I mean when all I have time for is one or two words in prayer, don't you?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." Other versions say "pray without ceasing." On the other hand, Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians that one of his guiding philosophies was "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Nowhere in the Bible are we told that we are to do nothing by pray. We are to be working hard, serving God and others, earning the food we eat, even while we are also praying continually. You would think the two are contradictory, but they are not.

In fact, I think my "Please, God" prayers are exactly what He means when He tells us to pray continually. Not that we need big, long "proper" prayers all the time, but that prayer is a natural extension of our everyday thoughts. Praying continually means that when something pops into my head I can pray about it then and there, no matter what else I'm doing, or where I am or who else is around. No matter how brief my thoughts might be, God is always there and always paying attention, ready to listen and understanding exactly what I am thinking.
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There is definitely a time for proper prayers. Definitely a time for sitting and spending time with God while not in the midst of doing anything else. But praying continually opens my mind to the fact that God is always with me. 

Praying continually means the lines of communication are always open, even when I have work to do.

2 comments:

  1. I do this all the time but have never thought of it as a prayer because it wasn't 'proper', but you're right...he's always with us and knows our thoughts so a simple 'Please God' is just the end of the sentence I started in my head. Thanks for sharing!!

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  2. I love your observation that we don't always need to pray in complete sentences. It is so true. One of my favorite verses says we have an intercessor who pleads for us with groans that words cannot express. Love that!

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