To Pray Without Ceasing
Dear kindred Spirits in Christ,
Now, as never before, I feel a deep need to pray - for my family, my friends, our nation and the world at large. Everyone, everywhere, needs help in some way. And with the exception of the enemies of God, every need matters to our heavenly Father. He hears and responds in His profound, perfectly timed way, that we don't always understand or even appreciate at times. From the largest, most desperate plea to the smallest of prayer requests, Father God hears from His heavenly throne.
It is written in 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
When the Word states in all circumstances, I feel I should stop and consider the depth of this command. None of us want to lose a loved one, or our home in a storm, or our job or health. Yet, we know that the Word states we will have trials and tribulations in this life. At the same time, we are told that we have the victory in Christ. So we must trust, and persevere, and accept that which we can not change, and wait for the storm to pass. I go to 1st Corinthians 13 where it tells us that three things always remain - faith, hope and love.
I move to James 5:13-16 to the promise that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. I know many prayers are being lifted to the throne of God right now. Our hearts are heavy and we feel so inadequate at times. But let us not forget that God is in control. We do what we can, and trust God to do the rest. A prayer warrior is very valuable to God and our Christian family.
Galatians 6:9 is yet another beautiful promise. And let us not grow weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Again, we do what we can. But if all we have to work with is our faith, then we must remember that praying to our God is the purest act of faith, an offering and an intimate conversation that is filled with both hope and love. Let's not forget to praise Him in all circumstances. Our LORD can and will deliver us.
Love Always,
Marti