Something I have been meditating on lately: how often is:
“Rejoice always”
and
“Pray without ceasing”
and
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Paul gives these exhortations and commands to the Thessalonian Church… and to us as well. I have heard many sermons that cite one of the above and expound on it… and rightfully so… but they (the three statements) seem so much more powerful when taken together. They are, after all, all in the same sentence. The words continually, continuously, consistently, intentionally, determinedly, and obediently all come to my mind. Yeah, all adverbs. What I mean is, those words come to mind as inferences from Paul’s statements of how those things: rejoicing, prayer, and giving thanks, should be done.
Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks… always, without ceasing, and in everything. Being able to commune with God is an incredible gift to us. Being able to be known by Him and know Him and to be bound to Him in prayer is a wonderful mercy to us enabling us to be intimate with Him.
Some people say God doesn’t care about the little details of our life, that is, where we go for the day, who we do business with, what we do with our lives, and how we “depend”… (how and what we depend on for our doings and dealings).¬†
Looking at the communication through scripture shows that God cares about all things in our lives. David can ask God if he should go up to the tribe of Judah and God will tell him to go up. Then David can ask to which city should he go and God will tell him Hebron. On the other hand Paul can ask the Lord if he can go to visit the Romans… if it be in the will of God (Rom 1:9-10).
Oh the rebukes that are in scripture when men and women do not ask or inquire of the Lord in all sorts and manner of dealings… and what great evidence of blessing can be seen when men and women inquire, seek, and ask the Lord for all sorts of things like travel plans (Paul, David, Samuel, Saul), sickness (Paul, Azariah), and babies to be born (Hannah, Isaac). There are countless of examples of people praying throughout history and God hearing and respecting all sorts of situations… that I find amazing. I believe one of the key purposes of prayer (not the only purpose) is to bind our will to the will of God, whatever that may be… whether it be death or sickness or health or prosperity or suffering or poverty or life.¬†
Rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks in everything… that is the will of God for us… as we walk in all of the situations that we walk in.¬†
There is obviously more to be said, there always is, but I must stop. This verse comes to mind, speaking of a parable Jesus spoke in Luke 18 “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart“