16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Paul. 1 Thess 5:16-18. Hi, it’s Nathan, and this is Day 2 of 30 Days of Prayer. Pray without ceasing. This is no call to some kind of incessant spiritual babbling. Rather, using this over-the-top language, Paul tears prayer out of the church building, yanks it away from the dinner table and hurls it into the push and shove of every day life. Say a prayer with your meal—certainly! —and most definitely when you’re in church—but don’t confine prayer to any time or space or habit or posture. Instead, let it become the aroma of your life—a spontaneous response to the highs and lows of the day, the hour, the second. Let your life become saturated by a running dialogue with God. Sort of like you’re hanging out with your best friend all day. Sometimes you’re quiet, sometimes exuberant. Sometimes you ask a favor—but not all the time. Sometimes you simply need an ear. Sometimes you’re numb with pain—and can only sob on a gentle shoulder. This is the flavor of life that Paul has in mind—this kind of intermittent chatter with God. It’s how your life is aligned, more than where your thoughts are, at any given instant. Yep, you can engage your whole mind in that intensely demanding project—and yet have a sense that sitting with you in that office space is your very best friend, not distracting or fiddling, just present. Relishing the moment and offering a hand whenever it’s appropriate.
