RaVae EricksonOnce again I’m sitting here at work pondering other people’s lives….Ok, I’m working too, but my job is kind of brainless most of the time, so I get to thinking while I am doing mindless tasks…
First, I catch myself thinking about a girl (woman now) whom I played basketball with in High School. She was SO GOOD at basketball, but she never really let it get to her head. She was always part of the “cool” crowd, but never acted like it. She was pretty much loved by everyone. She ended up going to John Brown University. She played soccer in college (she did in high school also). Now she is on the “World Race,” basically a year long missions trip to twelve or so countries. Here is a link to her blog: http://meganrouse.theworldrace.org/ Stop by and read it sometime. God is doing amazing things in her life right now. 🙂
Second, the thought crosses my mind to “pray without ceasing.” What is that? How do you do that? What does it look like? Is that even possible? It has to be if we are instructed to do it…
Third, I visited Megan’s blog (see above) and she has a new post about Aubrey. A girl she knew in high school who has been traveling in Asia and has been missing for the last eleven days…please read it and PRAY without ceasing!
I am intrigued by your questions on "pray without ceasing" as I have often wondered about it also. First thought/question I ask is what is prayer? Pray is many things; it can be conversation with God, it can be making requests to God (most common form of our prayers), it can be thanking God, it can be asking God for answers or guidance, it can be a venting session when we dump all of our hurts and feelings on Him, and many more forms.
I think the main idea of when Paul writes this phrase "pray without ceasing" (in every NT occurrence it is Paul who writes it) it is with the concept of a state of mind. He tells us that it is with a "pure conscience" (2 Tim 1:3) that he serves God. It is out of this state of mind that he remembers people/churches…to pray for them because he is aware of their needs, weaknesses, strengths, desires, reputations, etc. With a conscience that is fixed on people and on God I think that as we are thinking we can also be praying (conversation, requests, etc from list above). Prayers don't always have to spoken for others to hear.
Just some of my thoughts on the matter, hope that helps lead your "wandering" thoughts to some clearer resolve!!