Into The Breach – Practices Of A Christian ManUzorak

Day 1 — Pray every day

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22

Paul offers fourteen instructions to the members of the church in Thessalonica. Every member of the community has a pastoral responsibility to help the others in the challenges of the Christian life. Whether it be praising, encouraging, admonishing, or just being patient, brothers in Christ must be concerned for the welfare of one another, reminding each other of the standards expected of disciples in Christ. 

At the center of this series is the instruction to “pray without ceasing” (v. 17 NABRE). All the other advice folds out from this focus. Prayer acknowledges our dependence on God and the utter dependability of God in all circumstances. Of course, a life of prayer involves specific types of prayer, for example, a prayer of praise at the beginning of each day and a prayer of blessing at each meal. But Paul’s directive to “pray without ceasing” challenges us to stay connected with God all the time. It doesn’t require a conscious focus on God every moment of the day, but it involves an ongoing relationship with God. For a Christian, it means, as Paul says in other places, living “in Christ.” 

When we cultivate this 24/7 connection, the other instructions become realistic. When we “pray without ceasing,” we can also “rejoice always” and “in all circumstances give thanks” (vv. 16-18 NABRE). We will turn our anger over to the Lord. We will share his heart for the weak and fainthearted. We will welcome the work of God’s Spirit in our lives. We will live in this way because our connection with God is without ceasing. 

REFLECT: How can I establish a more continual connection with God in prayer? 

PRAY: O God, who is with us always, help me respond to your grace and cultivate the discipline of prayer each day. Keep me connected to you so that I can always rejoice in you and give you thanks in all things. 

By Stephen J. Binz, Catholic biblical scholar, speaker, and author of over 50 books, including Threshold Bible Study. His graduate work in Scripture is from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and Jerusalem. The website for his work is www.Bridge-B.com.

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