1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Thinking in the Spirit (Devotions)
In times of crisis, when do we pray? When our minds and hearts are flooded with "What do I do next?" Do we halt, mid-emergency, and begin, "Our Father, who art in heaven..."
Have you ever gone through a whole day and as you finally close your eyes to fall asleep, you realize, "I haven't prayed for _______________" (Fill in the blank.)
The Psalmist had particular times of prayer:
Psalm 55:16–17 (NLT) — 16 But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. 17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.
Some churches observe "canonical hours" of prayer. I've set an alarm on my phone to go off at 6pm, to join others in our town to pray for God's mercy in this pandemic. But is that enough? Do we set an alarm for every hour?
Paul exhorted us, "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NASB)
When you're rushing from one responsibility to the next, there may not be prayer for any lengthy prayer. It may be "Lord have mercy." It may not even be audible, or barely formed in one's thoughts. My wife calls it "Thinking in the Spirit." A fleeting thought of someone, some need--but with an awareness of God being in the middle of it all.
Think of two nurses working in an ER, focused on a patient needing CPR. If they know each other well enough, they communicate with body language; they anticipate what the other is thinking, without even talking.
Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
uttered or unexpressed;
the motion of a hidden fire
that trembles in the breast. - James Montgomery
God, guide our activities throughout this day. Make our hearts aware of you.
Keep our thoughts in sync with Your mind. Amen
Have you ever gone through a whole day and as you finally close your eyes to fall asleep, you realize, "I haven't prayed for _______________" (Fill in the blank.)
The Psalmist had particular times of prayer:
Psalm 55:16–17 (NLT) — 16 But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. 17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.
Some churches observe "canonical hours" of prayer. I've set an alarm on my phone to go off at 6pm, to join others in our town to pray for God's mercy in this pandemic. But is that enough? Do we set an alarm for every hour?
Paul exhorted us, "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NASB)
When you're rushing from one responsibility to the next, there may not be prayer for any lengthy prayer. It may be "Lord have mercy." It may not even be audible, or barely formed in one's thoughts. My wife calls it "Thinking in the Spirit." A fleeting thought of someone, some need--but with an awareness of God being in the middle of it all.
Think of two nurses working in an ER, focused on a patient needing CPR. If they know each other well enough, they communicate with body language; they anticipate what the other is thinking, without even talking.
Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
uttered or unexpressed;
the motion of a hidden fire
that trembles in the breast. - James Montgomery
God, guide our activities throughout this day. Make our hearts aware of you.
Keep our thoughts in sync with Your mind. Amen
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