Continuously Praying Consistently

Prayer is one of the experiences of my life that has never seemed consistent.  In some ways that’s not good.  When I don’t consistently pray for instance.  But, in some ways, it’s very good.  When I don’t get stuck in a single mode, at a single time, with a single litany.

The verse Chambers uses today is 1 Thessalonians 5:17 where the short imperative of Paul, “pray continuously” is recorded.  When prayer is discussed, this imperative will unanimously be used.  I wonder if that is because it is understood, or because it isn’t. 

I have struggled with that imperative because it has flown in the face of the demonstrated definition of prayer provided to me by the church and my parents.  Witnessed prayer was always out loud, head bowed, and with a crowd.  If I were to pray continuously like that, well, I was a preacher, but that is definitely too long to speak, even for a preacher.

Clearly Paul, and my Master, has something else in mind.  Chambers says it should be like breathing or heart beats, constant and without conscious effort.  I agree, but it is also a degree of communion, so there has to be some sort of communication happening as well.  There is an interchange of some sort, and that is the part that I don’t understand very well.

I think part of my problem in understanding also stems from my learned definition of prayer.  Prayer that I witnessed was always unidirectional, from the person to the Master.  Prayer as seen in Scripture varied from unidirectional from the Master to the person, a discussion between the Master and the person, or unidirectional from the person to the Master, but with radical results.

My definition needs better grounding in Scripture rather than what I witnessed growing up.  The other issue is that prayer has to have a large internal element which cannot be witnessed in another.  The effects can be seen, which is why my mom would always ask, “have you had your quiet time today?” when I was demonstrating a bad attitude.  I hated that.  It bypassed what I was upset about, and was usually a good question, since more often than not, I hadn’t had my quiet time.

So, prayer needs to be constant flow between myself and my Master.  I need constant sensitivity to His Spirit.  I need to reflexively respond to Him in my momentary crises.  He should be the spontaneous impulse in my interactions or responses to others.  I should be speaking to Him whether internally or externally throughout events that happen, observations I make, and as I process meanings and draw conclusions.  I suppose that prayer can be the fundamental element of “abiding in Christ” or “walking in the light” or “living by the Spirit” or any of the other word pictures used in Scripture to describe the life I live in relationship to my Master.

I guess that as I wait, worship, and walk before my Master, prayer is my natural posture.  So, my Master loves me, has my back, and I am at His service, waiting, worshipping, and walking before Him in constant prayer.  And I thought I was busy yesterday.

Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": May 26th.