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~ Heart—2—Heart ~
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Pastor Lynda MacDonald, Nova Scotia
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Praying Is Like Breathing
Praying for a believer should be like
breathing –without it you die!
Shaul (Paul) wrote in 1 Thess.
5:16-18, “Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in
everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
How in this world can we
pray without ceasing? Yet, this scripture admonishes us to do just that and
more. We are to rejoice always (not just when everything goes well); give thanks
in everything (in everything not FOR everything) and pray continually. It must
work –the rejoicing, praying and giving thanks always or this scripture leads
us astray.
For years, I wondered
how anyone could pray 24/7. Do they mature into superhuman believers whose
heads are in the clouds and oblivious to daily living? I felt I could never
attain such a position –most likely Shaul became more like deity that man.
Nope- that could not have been true for he had his feet firmly planted in this
natural world. He confessed that “For in my inner self I
completely agree with God's Torah (instructions); but in my various
parts, I see a different "torah," one that battles with the Torah in
my mind and makes me a prisoner of sin's "torah," which is operating
in my various parts. What a miserable creature I am! Who will rescue me from
this body bound for death?” (CJB)(Romans 7:22-24) Now- that was someone I could
identify with –a regular person who wanted to walk closer to God.
So- back I go –“how can
we “pray without ceasing”? I need, once more, to draw on my own life lessons.
Several years ago- about
20 now, I was working out of the home when Jack was here to tend the children.
The job would require many miles of driving to and from the job. Sometimes, it
was through the day but most was in the evening during the darkness. Being
alone in the vehicle, I would sing (too loud often) and talk to God. I found
that it became a natural action.
Whenever I was alone, I
enjoyed this communication. I learned much about me. I found that there was a
lot that God wanted me to change so I could walk in freedom from my past hurts
and unhealthy experiences. It was so easy to do in the car- no one to interrupt
–just God and me. The problem was, I couldn’t live in that atmosphere –I was a
wife, mother, sister, friend, etc. I needed to discover how to “pray without
ceasing” when it was noisy, busy, confusing, scary.
Could the scripture
really teach us that it is possible? I checked some other translations to see
if it could be clearer. Let’s go back to 1 Thess 5.
(Good
News)
“16. Be joyful always, 17
pray at all times, 18 be thankful in all
circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with
Christ Jesus.”
(NIV) “16 Be joyful always; 17
pray continually; 18 give thanks in
all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ
Jesus.”
(SRV) “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
(The
Message) “16 Be cheerful no matter
what; 17 pray all the time; 18 thank God no
matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus
to live.”
(Hebrew Names Version) “16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In
everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Messiah Yeshua toward
you.”
Well!!!! It seems as if
the message is clear –we are to pray all the time and that is that. Another way
to say it would be “be in a constant state to pray.” “Let prayer be your normal
action not your last resort.”
I have found a prayer
place that is normal for me- I just naturally talk to God no matter what the
circumstances. Sometimes I need his intervention; other times I need to rejoice
for his goodness; there are other times I just can’t thank him enough for his
love and provisions. I pray about his help when I need to buy something and I
have limited funds; I pray for a parking place near my destination; I ask him
to protect little kids that are being screamed at by a frustrated mom; I pray
for people in malls and airports that need to know God wants to redeem them
from this sinful life; I just pray!!!!!!! And I love it. J
I wake in the night and
find prayer in my mind. It is as if a recording is playing while I was asleep.
I wake singing –another form of praying my thoughts.
I have so many times
found myself talking to God without really thinking about it- it is so natural.
I see a possible accident or disaster and the first thing I do is pray.
It really and truly is
as necessary as breathing to me –can you live without it?
