1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing. (KJV) (NASB) (ESV)
pray continually, (NIV) (TNIV)
constantly pray, (NETBible)
No matter what version of the Bible I read this verse in, I still come up with the same question, “How DO you pray continually?”
I like the following answer from Thelma Wells. She has challenged me to use yet another way to fellowship with my heavenly Father.
…I tend to pray when there’s no apparent reason to pray. I just love to fellowship with my heavenly Father.
Some of my prayers sound like this:
- “Lord, have mercy.”
- “Help me, Lord.”
- “Thank You, Jesus.”
- “Speak to my heart, Lord.”
- “Lord, are You listening?”…
- “God, why are You so slow?”
- “What’s this all about, Jesus?”
- “Do You hear me, Lord?”
- “Am I supposed to keep asking You to do this, Sir?”
- “Look, Lord, I need an answer!”
- “Praise the name of Jesus.”
- “I love You, Lord.”
Some of those prayers may sound as if I’m a little sassy with God or disrespectful of Him, but the truth is, God is my Father and yours. He knows all about us. We can come boldly to Him and He will understand exactly what we mean and the attitude with which we mean it. In other words, we can come clean with God. When we realize that prayer is simply expressing the heart’s sincere desire to God, in silence or aloud, prayer can become as natural as breathing.
…Praying continually involves abiding in the Father’s presence, whether formal prayers are uttered or not.
Thelma Wells in Opening Windows – Spiritual Refreshment for your Walk with Christ
