Pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. – 1 Thessalonians 5: 17-19
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. – Luke 18:1
Prayer is the foundation of the life of faith in both individuals and the church. It is an essential practice for anyone who is serious about following Jesus or growing spiritually.
Both Jesus and Paul seem to imply that the alternative to praying “without ceasing” is to lose our heart. We can interpret this in several ways.
Losing heart may mean that we become discouraged. Our challenges and the crosses we bear may become too heavy for us without prayer. The Spirit of God moving within us is quenched and our faith may wither and die. Thérèse of Lisieux said: “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven; it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” If you have never established a practice of prayer, simply turning your thoughts to God several times a day is an excellent way to begin. Prayer preserves our relationship with God and safeguards us by keeping our hearts close to our Savior and Sustainer.
Losing heart may also mean that our hearts are hardened into cynicism as we confront the realities of daily life. Prayer softens hearts so we are able to again see ourselves and others through the eyes of God rather than those of the world. As we pray, we are reminded of Jesus’ words, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” A soft heart is a healthy, growing, living heart.
Finally, without ceaseless prayer on the part of its members, the good intentions and actions of the church are not anchored in the work of God. We risk losing the heart of our ministry which is to further the saving work of Jesus Christ rather than serving ourselves or preserving any institution. Recall that Jesus said: “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” Only by losing ourselves in God’s work as we are empowered from on high through continual prayer can we hope for future vitality as individuals and as church.
Truly then, we must pray always and not lose heart; for without a heart, all the living die.
This is the Easter season it is a time for new life – a time to pray without ceasing.
– Pastor Derek French