10/29/2018
Who have you prayed for today? Have you left your prayer closet after having prayed in the spirit for your personal needs, the needs of your family, and maybe a close friend or two? Well if so, that was a good start, but it is only the beginning of our daily prayers. In fact, we should consciously pray for all the saints, and all day long in every circumstance, for every soul in need, and as our conscious prayers fade, we should recognize our unconscious prayers as well.
“praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”Ephesians 6:18-20 ESV
I pray first thing every morning, then I read and write my devotional messages (like this one), and on queue I leave my prayer chair to shower and prepare myself for work. This takes considerable time each morning, but it is just the beginning of my prayer day. As I drive to work each morning I continue to pray by name for all those the Lord has placed before me and given me to pray for each day for the remainder of my life... these are not family, but certain people who He has asked me to lift up faithfully every day... some know this is occurring, but for others I pray in secret, and by name. I pray for God’s healing touch for those who come to me, and those who I know are suffering, or are in need. I pray for my enemies, friends, and the strangers around me in cars, passing planes, or who I somehow encounter in my life during the day. I pray for every pastor I know by name, and for my church. I pray for the saints there, and those who I come in contact with each day.
You are probably thinking that this takes too much time to squeeze into a morning, and you are right... it takes all day long, and much of it is done in quiet interaction with God through the Holy Spirit. I pray consciously each time I walk from one work meeting to the next, when I am waiting to see my doctor, as I go to lunch, and while waiting for my meal to be delivered... then I pray before I eat. You see, the act of prayer isn’t something we should find time to do, but it is our constant interaction with God that we must find time from to do otherwise.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV
If you are reading these words today, I am praying for you, and I am praying that you are also lifting me up as well... just as Paul speaks of doing in his letters to the Ephesians, Thessalonians, and others.
Prayer isn’t something we must do by commandment, it is the normal state of every Christian, and something that takes conscious effort to step out of. Sometimes we slip from spoken prayer to silent prayer, or from conscious prayer to subconscious prayer, but a state of prayer still exists. How many times have you been working and heard yourself whisper “Jesus help me”, seen a vagrant and thought “Lord touch this person”, watched a news report and groaned, or maybe passed a bad accident on the highway and began to pray for those involved, and their families? Praying without ceasing... we think it is hard, or impossible, but it isn’t... ceasing to pray is what is nearly impossible once the Holy Spirit has come to abide in you, and made your body A temple. What actually makes this seem impossible to us is the awareness that slips away as our prayers are lifted up all day, every day, and often without consciously thinking.
We seem to think that if we are not on our knees, or looking up with our eyes closed, that our conversation with the Lord does not constitute prayer, but it does. Every thought whether conscious, subconscious, from our mouth, or in a sigh or groan from the Spirit within us, is prayer when it is directed towards God. We are much like the Israelites in the desert and carry not only our tabernacle, but our temple, with us wherever we go.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV
So once we recognize that we are constantly in the temple of our bodies, and praying without ceasing, we see the importance of keeping our temple clean, pure, and fit for prayer. Those jokes we felt were innocent, or thoughts we dismissed as private, suddenly take on new meaning. Sweep the floors, and wash the walls of the temple because all of our prayers emanate from here.
“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”Proverbs 4:23 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for making me a Holy Temple. I thank you Lord for taking residence within me, and transforming my prayers from an occasional offering to unceasing conversation with you. I know that there are times when I stray, and must seek forgiveness for the dirty shoes of thought that I wear into your temple. I pray that on such occasion that you wash me clean in the blood of Jesus as I come into your presence, and that you receive all my prayers during the day in the spirit with which I offer them up to you. I pray that you Guard my thoughts as I sleep, and make my nights acceptable to you. Hear my contrition in the morning, and forgive me Father for any unsavory dream, or misguided thought. Remove all temptation from me, and let each new day start fresh in you. You are my God, and greatly to be praised. In you I am at peace, and my prayers heard as I lift them without ceasing. In you I am refreshed each day, and through my prayers my days are made better by your faithfulness. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you who answers prayer, and walks with me through all the days of my life.
“My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”Lamentations 3:20-23 ESV
Rich Forbes