praying without ceasing

Reading about desert fathers and mothers of the fourth century recently, reminded me of the imperative we in Jesus are given in Scripture, to pray without ceasing, because this is part of what they were attempting to do, even in the midst of their activities and interactions in the world. I find myself, that when I let up on the attitude to pray without ceasing, most often sooner than later, trouble follows. One then ends up learning the hard way.

Praying without ceasing is understood differently. I think it involves waiting in faith on God, praying all kinds of prayers, and seeking to listen to God's voice both from Scripture, and in our lives- by the Spirit. And I'm reminded of Jesus' words to his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, that they were to pray, so that they would not enter into temptation, because while the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.

On the eve of the election here in the U.S., I think the greatest thing we Christians can be doing is praying. And we need to carry that beyond, and make it more and more a part of who we are in Jesus. That we are people of prayer.

It's a challenge I find that is often hard to enter in. It often seems more or less like a bare knuckled act of the will. Something I decided to do against the flow of how I felt. So we can't wait on when we feel like praying. It's a matter of obedience and priority for us.

What might you like to add on these few thoughts on prayer?