May 11 2021
Today, Tuesday May 11
Prayer Without Ceasing Colossians 1:9
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
I’m convinced that Paul got excited about the believers in Colossae after he heard of their faith, love and hope that they experienced after they had heard of the “grace of God in truth”.
By the way, we are either living a life of vanity and emptiness following the lies of the evil one and worldly wisdom, or we are living a life filled with faith, love and hope because we have heard and received the grace of God in truth. When we walk in the truth of God’s Word in every aspect of our lives we will have a sense of security, peace, satisfaction and contentment we will never find in the ways of the world.
Paul said that he began to pray without ceasing for them after he received this report of their faith and trust in Christ. What does it mean to pray without ceasing? This is interesting to think about because it seems that so many of us rarely even pray at all!
I believe that it means that we begin to live with a constant awareness of the Lord and His Holy Spirit in our lives. We wake up with Him in our thoughts. We don’t get out of bed in the morning without acknowledging Him and asking for His strength and guidance for the day.
For as long as I can remember I begin my mornings and devotions with the “Model Prayer” Jesus taught us to pray. It is more commonly called the “Lord’s Prayer.” I say this prayer numerous times as I begin my day and walk with the Lord. It reminds me how Holy my Father in heaven is, and of His loving mercy and kindness to forgive me, to protect me from the evil one and temptations and provide for my every need!
To “pray without ceasing” is to know that my Father in heaven is only a thought away and I can take anything and everything to Him at any moment and in any place. It means to shut off the distractions and temporal things of the world around me and focus on the eternal. And honestly, this takes concentration and is not always easy!
May the Lord help us to learn to become more aware of His presence today!
God bless!