20 Jan February 13th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S FIRST LETTER TO THE  CHURCH AT THESSALONICA

 PRAY CONTINUALLY

1 Thessalonians 5:17  “. . . pray continually . . .”

Luke 18:1-8 records the parable of the persistent widow. She went before a judge asking for legal redress against her adversary.  The judge kept putting her off and she kept returning to plead her case.  The judge finally said to himself, “. . . because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice.” He concluded this parable with these words, “Will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?

Jesus’ parable and the words of today’s devotional verse encourage you to never give up praying.  This includes prayers you repeat over and over seemingly never receiving an answer from God.  Remember, God does not tell time with clocks and calendars.  That is why Jesus taught you to pray in the Lord’s prayer, “not my will, but Your will be done.”

The Scriptures urge you to pray in faith, waiting for God to answer in His time and with His answer.  Sometimes God answers quickly such as Jesus did when He fed the 5,000.  Yahweh, through Isaiah says to you, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace . . .” (Isaiah 55:8-11)

Therefore, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 urges you to “pray continually.”  Faithfully doing so places your needs upon God, who cares for you.  He is faithful, causing the sun to shine each day, the rains to come in due season, the seeds to produce food to eat, He heals the sick and comforts the mourners.  In His love God will answer your prayers in His time and in His way.

Prayer:  Lord, hear my prayers and answer them according to Your will for You know all things.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Eternal Spirit, of the Living Christ,

I know not how to ask our what to say;

I only know my need, as deep as life,

And only You can teach me how to pray.

Come, pray in me the prayer I need this day;

Help me to see Your purpose and Your will—

Where I have failed, what I have done amiss;

Held in forgiving love, let me be still.

Come with the strength I lack, bring vision clear

Of human need; O give me eyes to see

Fulfillment of my life in love outpoured,

My life in You, O Christ; Your love in me.

(LSB 769)