Today I want to begin a focus on the Christian characteristic of prayer. As I have mentioned previously, this discussion is not about becoming a Christian as much as what characteristics one would expect a Christian to demonstrate, And certainly a prayer filled life is a quality one would expect since prayer is essential to the Christian walk. My initial post here will be on the call to a prayerful life for the Christian and in future posts I will elaborate on certain aspects of a prayerful life as an attribute for the Christian. I want to focus on two specific verses that articulate the need for a prayerful walk, Colossians 4:2 and I Thessalonians 5:16-18.
In Colossians 4:2, the apostle Paul states to “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving” (NASB). Matthew Henry describes this devotion to prayer as “the duty of everyone—to continue in prayer and for believers to keep up your constant times of prayer, without being diverted from it by other business; keep your hearts close to the duty, without wandering or deadness” (Matthew Henry Commentary Complete, Colossians). What I appreciate from Matthew Henry is the idea that devotion is connected to a high level of commitment and exercise. Think about those things you are devoted to whether it be work, studying, friends, hobbies, or any other activity that you commit significant time and effort to on a routine basis. Do you have the same level of devotion and focus on your prayer life? For me, I need to take a regular inventory of my prayer time and assess whether or not I am truly devoted to prayer. Even in writing about prayer as a characteristic of the Christian walk, I am realizing that my prayer time suffers in the morning when I get lazy and hit the snooze button on the alarm. However, I do understand that consistency is key for me in my prayer life and setting an alarm not just in the morning to get up and pray, but also sometime during the day and then in the evening has helped me in developing a prayerful walk (this is not to suggest that our prayers should become ritualistic, but reminders have been helpful for me in consistency and devotion).
The second verse, also stated by Paul is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus”. John MacArthur notes that for a healthy relationship with Jesus to develop, believers must be mindful of their responsibilities to worship and serve the Lord their King”, and this includes the call to pray without ceasing (MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Thessalonians, p.185). A mindset to continually pray demonstrates our inadequacies and our need for reliance on a savior. MacArthur continues by elaborating that a believer’s ongoing prayers encompass “submission, confession, petition, intercession, praise and thanksgiving (p.186). For me, to pray without ceasing and to be diligent in encompassing a wholeness in my prayer life, I have found that keeping an ongoing list related to different aspects of my prayers has been helpful. Additionally, writing down specific components of my prayers has allowed me to follow through on the commitments I make in praying. Also, the more I pray, the more my prayers do not just consist of a list of requests to God but are a part of my recognizing and confessing my sinfulness, and in expressing my overwhelming thankfulness and praise for a Heavenly Father who loves me and is the constant in my life.
Finally, I appreciate MacArthur’s elaboration on the importance of prayer: “Prayer is the strength of the believer’s fellowship with the Lord and the source of his power against Satan and his angels. Through prayer, believers confess their sin, offer praise to God, call on their sympathetic High Priest, and intercede for each other. Prayer from a pure heart is to be directed to God, consistent with the mind and will of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Christ, and for the glory of the Father” (MacArthur, The New Testament Commentary, Colossians, p.179). Our prayers should reflect the holiness and power of the Creator, and should not just be an expectation for God to fix our human mistakes and failures. My hope is that this reflection on the importance of devotion and commitment to ongoing prayer to our Lord and Savior will inspire you in your walk and talk with our Heavenly Father.