pray without ceasing
I have often thought about this short edict. For several years, actually I have pondered it and have been somewhat dismissive about it in the sense that I believe it to be metaphoric. Nobody can pray without ceasing. That's just crazy.
Our God is not so demanding as all that. Uh.
Anyway. I always took it meaning pray quite a lot. But a couple of days ago, I just felt kind of needled about the whole thing, and so I looked up the quote in context. SERIOUSLY. Imagine.
So, in a cryptic little not very scholarly nutshell, here it is, in context so far as I can tell. In 1 Thessalonians 5, 1-28, Paul does actually tell us to pray without ceasing. But what precedes that actually is pretty interesting. He firstly goes on about being ready for the day of the Lord to come, watchful, aware, spiritually prepared at all times.
But then he starts to list off a few specifics that, in my mind, are what he means by saying that we should pray without ceasing.
Comfort and edify one another. Respect those in authority (knowledge, wisdom?) over you and keep peace with them and those you work with. I assume he primarily means those in faith who live together in communities.
Rebuke the unquiet. Comfort the feeble minded. Support the weak. Be patient to all men. Make sure people are not nasty to each other. Always do what is good for each other (you Thessalonian Christians: read, your brothers and sisters in Christ) And. Towards all men.
That pretty much sums up all of humanity and all the good and the wrong that we could do. Then, he goes on to say, a little reduntantly I might add:
Always rejoice. Like, if you were actually living like Paul just lays out here, you would be rejoicing. It's true. But it is always nice to wrap up with a good clincher and Paul was pretty good at that.
BUT HE'S NOT DONE YET.
Give thanks for everything. Be fired up. Hold onto what is good.
Okay. In my unpacking of this, I thought. Holy Smokes. Paul is basically telling me how I can pray without ceasing. Every person I encounter, whether I know it or not, is going to fall into one of the outlined categories. I can do good. I can say a little prayer with every breath, really, can't I? Can I not think, for every person, known or unknown to me, can I not say a little prayer every time we cross paths. Whatever struggles or blessings you have, sir, going into the bank and walking past me, I pray for you.
You, cranky checkout lady, I do not know what lies heavy on your heart, but I can hold a private prayer for you. You, my daughters and sons, and you mill about on your daily business around the house, I know most of your cares and much of my contemplative prayer is devoted to you, but just now, as I stand beside you or pass you in the hallway or cut your pork or pour your apple juice...can't I whisper, keep them safe, Lord, help them grow in holiness?
Is this not the most radical thing you have ever heard of? You holy people who read my blog probably don't even know what I'm talking about because you live and breath and pray without ceasing. But for those of you who are putzy Christians like me...this is life changing.
This is Life Changing. Think what kind of world we would have if each of us prayed without ceasing. Think how it would change ME. I have to think of this more. I am totally slain by this.
