Something
has been stirring in me for a while. A restlessness. A dissatisfaction with the
status quo. A feeling like I’m in a rut. A feeling like my church is in a rut.
A couple
weeks ago it came out that several other people have been having a similar
experience. So, I began to seek God’s direction and desire for me and the
people. I believe He answered, and it was not what I expected.
I believe
God has called us to pray, just to pray, during our Sunday and Wednesday
services for the next month. No music. No Bible study. Just prayer.
That may
seem crazy to some folks. I understand. I have spent many years planning order
of services. I know how desperately people want a bulletin that tells them
what’s coming next. I am fully aware of how uncomfortable it gets when there’s
the slightest break in the action.
We have become experts at orchestrating
and executing worship services that pacify the crowds yet don’t require God’s
presence.
Frankly,
I’m tired of it. I’m tired of the show. I’m tired of the games. I’m tired of
holding a form of godliness twice a week, yet not experiencing God’s power. I’m
tired of lukewarm American Christianity. It’s corroding my soul.
I want
Jesus. No, I need Jesus. I need Jesus
exceedingly and abundantly more than I realize. We do too.
We say a
little prayer before meals. We say a little prayer before business meetings. We
say a little prayer before offerings. We memorize Scripture verses about
prayer. We devote entire sermons to the subject of prayer. We have bible
studies devoted to prayer. We post inspiring quotes on social media about
prayer. Yet, we are far too pragmatic to actually be people of prayer.
And that is exactly what we are
called to be: People of prayer who pray without ceasing.
Rejoice always; pray without
ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ
Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I’ve heard
grown men that were leaders in churches joke about this verse, shrugging it off
since God can’t possibly be calling us to drive down the freeway with our eyes
closed. I think we tend to make light of things that terrify us. We fear what we
don’t understand, and making a mockery of such things has a way of taking a bit
of the edge off.
How our
hearts deceive us.
Paul flat
out says that God’s will for our lives is for us to pray without ceasing. Yet, we sit around at Bible studies joking about the verse so we can convince ourselves that it's okay to not do God’s will. I wonder what the chances are that Jesus was just kidding when He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is
in heaven will enter (Matthew
7:21).” Perhaps we need to take God's will seriously.
So, what
does it mean to pray without ceasing?
I plead
with you, by the grace with which you are clothed, to press forward in thy progress,
and to exhort everyone so that they may be saved. … Give yourself to prayer
without ceasing. Plead for additional understanding to what you already have.
Be watchful, possessing a sleepless spirit. Speak to every man separately, as
God enables you. Bear the infirmities of all, as being a perfect athlete [in
the Christian life]: where the labor is great, but the reward is even greater.
– Ignatius 105CE, Volume 1, p. 152 [CD-ROM]
According
to Ignatius, praying without ceasing first means maintaining a desire to grow
in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Second, we must keep an ambassadorial
mindset. Third, we should be imploring our Father for steady infillings of
heavenly wisdom. Fourth, we need to remain vigilant, seeking God’s direction in
all things for all people so that we can make the most of every opportunity.
And finally, to pray without ceasing, Ignatius calls us to never forget the reward
of living for the kingdom of heaven.
It takes
prayer to become a person of prayer. And that is what I want to be. That is
what I want for each person of my church. That is what I want for you.
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