Pray Continually
Thursday, March 6
I Thessalonians 5:17“…pray without ceasing”
In Luther’s Small Catechism, the second question in the Lord’s Prayer section is this: What is prayer? Answer: “Prayer is speaking to God in words and thoughts.”
Estimates range widely about the number of thoughts we have every day, 3000-70,000. But still there is down time for our brain; yet even when the brain is “resting,” certain areas of it actually kick into a higher gear. So this short verse is not saying we should keep 100% of our thoughts, prayers.
As Christians, we do not step in and out of faith when sin crosses into our experience or cognition. If we have a sinful thought, we do not for that moment lose our faith. Faith is deeper than thoughts or cognition. (This is one reason Lutherans reject “decision theology” which asserts that we must make an intellectual decision about trusting Christ, implying that if we are not actively thinking about our salvation, we may not be saved.)
Certainly, thoughts are part of our lives as Christians. Thoughts play an important role in how we express our faith. According to St. Paul, we should “Take every thought captive to the Lord Jesus Christ.” (II Cor. 10:5)
We are called to love the Lord with our “mind.” Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Mt. 22:37) These are wonderfully expansive statements about love and prayer. And Paul’s verse about “pray without ceasing” is sandwiched between two other superlative thoughts also about prayer: “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks.…” (I Thess. 5:16-18a)
Taking these verses in a legalistic way would be like telling people they must think about each breath, or else they will not breathe and be alive!
Faith is the source of love (I Tim. 1:5) and prayer (Rom. 8:26). God gives the divine supernatural gift of faith (Eph. 2:8, 9). So Paul is saying we should let our position of vindication before Christ (standing in faith and forgiveness in our Baptismal adoption and identity) direct our thoughts and love, continually correcting them, and directing them to communicate with our Lord in prayer. It’s an oxymoron to live in a home with your family and not think about them or be influenced by them.
In fact, understanding the phrase “pray without ceasing” as a description of what faith does, enables us to see prayer as naturally occurring fruit in our lives as Christians. When we cultivate a life of continual devotion to Christ (Acts 2:42), prayer grows in frequency and potency and diversity. That growth just happens. Indeed, it can be stunted by demonic toxins in our environment. Yet that growth is a work of the Holy Spirit and a fruit of knowing all good things come from the Lord.
PRAYER: Father, “our Father,” let me experience the joy of Your gift of my faith in Christ at all times. May my faith continually inspire me to seek Your will and to rest in Your grace. May my faith direct my prayer to correct me and connect me with Your desires – to love my family of faith and those yet to be adopted by Your mercy. Amen.