1 QUOTE

“Prayer is the dialogue between two people who love each other.”

- Roslind Rinker

1 NOTE

Last week we began 2026 with a call to joy and cry for prayer. The Apostle Paul ended his second letter to the church at Thessalonica with two power packed verses: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17). This verse has always baffled me. What does it mean to pray without ceasing? It can’t mean non-stop verbal prayer. We have relationships, sleep, eat and work. Our boss at work would quickly release us if we ‘prayed without ceasing’ at the office and neglected our work tasks.

Paul stresses cultivating a deep and abiding friendship in God. To pray without ceasing means to live in a Spirit-filled mindset, sensitive to God’s presence and pings throughout the day. When we are aware and locked-in with God, all of life’s ups and downs, victories and failures, are opportunities for fellowship and deep communion.

On a practical note, I keep a daily prayer journal. I have a calendar that I bought from Staples that is dedicated only to prayer. I begin my day listening the Holy Spirit. For that day I write down any Scripture he brings to mind. I then listen to the Father about my single-prayer for the day. I then write to the Father as specific a prayer as possible for that day. That is how I try and apply Paul’s command ‘pray without ceasing’ to my life and ministry.

1 QUESTION

How are you living out Paul’s command to pray without ceasing?

Until Next Tuesday,

John