by Pastor Steve Nickodemus

Praying Without Ceasing

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“Pray continually…”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 New International Version

This is a picture of the abbey chapel at the Benedictine Monastery above Mount Angel, Oregon.  In this chapel prayers and psalms are offered up by the assembled monks five times per day.  The monks chant the whole Psalter every ten days.  This continual praying has gone on every day since 1880.  Do you realize how many thousands of prayers have been offered up in this chapel?  So many prayers have been said so often that you might say the monks “pray continually”.

How is your prayer life in contrast?  Do you pray continually, imploring the Creator of your body, the Redeemer of your soul, the Sanctifier of your spirit to hear you?  When I look at my own prayer life, I feel I am far from “praying continually.”  And yet I know I need this continual connection with my Father in heaven.  How often do I feel alone and without hope just because I have not called on the Lord’s name!

And yet my heavenly Father loves me and does not reject me.  For the sake of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Father is always ready to hear our prayers.  Jesus said it this way in Luke 11, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Although my prayer practice is not what I would wish it to be, God is gracious to hear my prayers and give me what I need daily for my spiritual and physical needs.  Praise God for His faithfulness!

Lord, thank you that you hear me when I call upon you in Jesus’ name.  Increase my faithfulness in prayer and my desire to be in fellowship with you continually.  Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado