Pray Without Ceasing! It's Exciting!

 One of the most freeing moments in my life was when I found out that prayer was not a repetitive, memorized, knee-crunching activity that was more like a job than a joy. Common misconceptions of prayer engender a boring, tedious and unresponsive prayer life. I can understand why people have to be reminded to pray.

Prayer is active, ongoing, exciting and peaceful. It is something to look forward to, and maintains ongoing peace. There is a constant parade of stressful situations in our lives looming around every corner. This world is far from perfect because God is not running it. People who know God and are on talking terms with the Father of all good, however, can change the world's effects.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 The Greek word from which the word 'prayer' is translated from (especially prayer to God) is 'proseuche'. Koine Greek is very expressive. The first part of that word 'pros' means 'face to face' or 'together with'.  The rest of the word means 'desire' or 'want'.  When we are face to face with God with the desires of our heart, we learn that He is all good and loves us beyond anything we could imagine.  It becomes pure joy to look at His answers. Prayer is a simple and continual conversation.

Recently I was praying about a specific situation I had a picture in my mind of holding up a platter  to God upon which rested all the things I was thinking. God cleaned off the platter immediately and replaced everything a beautiful answer to sit back and enjoy.  I could sense an excitement in how the prayer was answered. God does get excited!  There are other times answers don't come as fast. It is God's business how He answers. Peace is immediate, the rest of the answer may not be. I had another experience a couple weeks ago involving a prayer that had been around on my plate for a long period of time. The answer just dropped unexpectedly out of the blue. It was no big dramatic moment. God is full of surprises.

We don't have to wear out our knees, whine, beg or bargain when we pray. We can pray for everyone and everything with genuine thanksgiving. We can pray for family, friends, enemies, good weather, bad weather, our country (I Timothy 2:2) or whatever else is on our minds. We just grab the peace and run with it desiring  His "will be done on earth as it is in heaven!"