Two Questions for Today

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Now Paul was not saying that the majority of our time each day should be dedicated to prayer, but he was saying that our daily prayer life should be consistent and diligent. So, here are two questions for today. How many of us feel that we have a consistent daily prayer life and how many of us feel that we diligently pray each day for specific people or for specific requests?

These two questions are not intended to criticize anyone but to give us a moment of reflection and self evaluation. Honestly, all of us have room to improve our prayer life. Every seasoned Christian knows that an active and vibrant prayer life is the lifeblood of a disciple of Jesus. It is the spiritual link that connects us with the Creator of all that is. It is the silver thread that crosses the heavenly boundaries and it is the voice of a thankful child that touches the heart of our Heavenly Father.

So, for those of us who feel that we are consistent and diligent in our daily prayer life, do our prayers include elements of rejoicing and giving thanks to our Provider, regardless of the circumstances we are facing? The truth is that too often our prayers involve asking God for everything while thanking Him for very little. Psalm 100:4 reminds us to “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”

So when we pray today, let us come before the Lord’s Throne of Grace with words of praise and heartfelt thanksgiving. Let our spirits sour as we rejoice in our God and let us give our Father in Heaven all of our thanks and gratitude.

Let us lay our petitions at the feet of our Lord, knowing that He loves us and that His plan for us is unfolding before our eyes. Let us pray for wisdom and discernment to recognize His will as it unfolds and let us acknowledge that our faith, our hope and our trust is truly in our God.

As we go about our day, may our thoughts quickly turn to our Lord in all circumstances and may our soul rejoice as we acknowledge the goodness and the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father. May our life be a blessing to others and may our frequent prayers be a fragrant aroma that fills the sanctuary of our King.