What you describe at the bird sanctuary is a state of mindfulness - being attentive, aware, present. I teach (and try to practise) mindfulness as part of my psychotherapy work, and while it has become an almost 'trendy' buzz-word these days, it has deep roots and wide benefits. If we adjust it to include the awareness of God infusing and sustaining our present-moment reality, we could re-name it 'God-fulness' and I do believe that is the sort of living, breathing, moment-to-moment state of prayerfulness that transcends (yet nourishes & informs) our times of intentional, specific 'conversation' with God. Perhaps seeking daily to become not only more mindful, but more God-ful (God-filled and God-aware) is prayer.
Thank you, Mark. I too think about how grateful I am for so many things. I've heard it said that the key to happiness is a grateful heart. It is so true! It carries me through difficult times as I know it must you also.
Gratitude. When I wake in the morning, I feel it. When I take my daily walk, I express it to God. I am grateful. All that I am, all that I have or ever will have is by grace. I am making an effort to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and often find myself near a park bench when it’s time to pray. It is grace that put me there and I am grateful for the time. God brought me back into the Church seven years ago, and I am immensely grateful. My life is full of joy and gratitude. Thank you for the post.
I am inspired by the OT patriarchs who answered God's summons by saying "Here I am!" Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, and Isaiah stood ready to do anything God asked anytime he asked. What a way to live in relationship to God! Some months ago, one of the readings in the Liturgy of the Hours inspired me anew. It was from Baruch 3:34 ... "the stars shone in their watches, and were glad; he called them, and they said, "Here we are!" They shone with gladness for him who made them." Just like the canticle in Daniel 3 says, all creation adores the Creator and "shines for gladness for him who made them". Continual prayer must be something like that.
Like you, I haven't taken it to mean a formal concentrated prayer with your eyes closed and on your knees. Mostly an attitude of prayer in which the line of communication is always open. I'm not opening a new conversation with the Lord - I'm continuing the one I always have, even if there's long moments of silence between words. He is always with us and knows everything about us. As Dennis Blue noted in his excellent response, He already knows exactly what we need. One could conclude that in a very real and spiritual way - He is experiencing what we are experiencing at the same time. Nothing is hidden from Him: the dark, the light - even the deceitfulness of our heart that will quite happily lie to us - is not hidden from Him.
I have concluded that prayer is as much consciously aligning ourselves with His will as it is any importuning of Him for something we think we need or want. And if we truly are aligned - we should be rejoicing in His No as well as His Yes. And THAT can be very hard to do!
Not as eloquently stated as your post, but following is an excerpt on prayer from one of my books.
PRINCIPLE 1: PRAYER. The first and foremost of the 5 principles is prayer. Daily communication with Jesus through the Holy Spirit is essential if we are to glorify God in all we think and say and do. Phil. 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”. Throughout our married life Dorothy and have prayed without ceasing. Sometimes doors were closed, at other times doors were opened. Sometimes we liked the answer and sometimes we were disappointed. We learned that God always hears and answers our prayers in his own time and way for our good. Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path”. We do not know where the path will lead us one step at a time, but we know and trust who is leading.
I begin each day with prayer----petitions and praise for what Jesus has done in my life and for those around me. Throughout the rest of the day prayer is not an event, it is a natural part of my being. Like breathing, Jesus is the source of my spiritual life, without which I will surely die.
The Bible is filled with scriptures on prayer. The NIV translation of the Bible has 367 specific Bible verses about prayer. How can I be sure God hears my prayers? 1 John 5:15 "And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." He already knows exactly what we need before we ask.
God answers prayers because he loved us enough to send his son Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross. When we take the time to pray, we acknowledge our dependence upon the Lord and get to know him better, it is a proactive act of faith. Our goal is to know Christ personally, not know about Christ intellectually.
Prayer is a two-way conversation. Continually asking and not listening is a one-way conversation. How much of your prayer life is asking for something instead of seeking God and his direction for your life? Be aware you do not love the gifts more than the giver. God takes care of the birds of the air and clothes the flowers of the field, how much more he will care for you. The Lord’s Prayer reminds us, “Our Father in heaven, · hallowed be your name, · your kingdom come, · your will be done-----Matt. 6:9-13. Our goal should be to see God’s will carried out here on earth through our personal lives.
Several years ago, I discovered the following statement, the origin of which I've never been able to ascertain, but which nonetheless continues to leave a profound impression upon me, and appears to be what you have written about today: " All of life is prayer, if you let it."
I think this says it all for me. I've come to believe prayer is so much more than "conversing with God" or some kind of formulaic "ACTS" exercise. It is an alignment of my heart, soul, mind and spirit with the creator of the universe. It's this resonance, reverberating or perfect sense of shalom that is the meaning and purpose of prayer. It encompasses the whole of our relationship - worship, thankfulness, love for Him and our fellow man. It's not so much an attitude or act of communication as much as a posture and life focus directed toward our God. It's achieving a level of intimacy that is so much more than words. It is how we should live our lives in perfect harmony with Him and His purpose for us. Hence, something we should always do "without ceasing" and "continuously".
It's not a practice, it's a life lived in perfect communion. It what the universe that lives in that perfect communion declares every moment of every day. The glory of God.
Prayer is always, in one way or another, a means to glorify God, to bring glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Yet, "apart from me you can do nothing", said the Lord. Even so to pray and so to bring glory to God -- by reflecting the glory which comes from God back to God -- without ceasing is a dynamic work of the Holy Spirit in us and by His gift of faith. To pray without ceasing is a partnership with the Spirit of God dwelling in each of us -- "Christ in you the hope of glory". Even so we cannot add to the glory of God. We are, each, an imago Dei, reflecting His glory, responsible for unceasingly reflecting His glory, resembling Christ in doing nothing which does not come from the Father. Unceasing prayer is not centered or initiated by any of us. Unceasing prayer is centered and sourced in "Christ in you the hope of glory." Therefore, the Apostle Paul tells us what he wants, prays for what he wants, supremely. Philippians 3:10-12. So to know is unceasing prayer
Yes, scripturally everything in the universe praises God or can praise God. This suggests that animals and insects may also be aware there's a God and if trees and the sun(s) may be conscious and if they're conscious, they may also be aware there's a God.
This is all the more reason to be vegetarian, not confine pet animals such as birds, fish and reptiles to cages and in zoos not use and abuse animals as entertainment such as in the circus and zoos (zoos have a small element of education, but are predominantly only for human entertainment), certainly not kill animals for violent entertainment aka "hunting for sport", humane treatment of farm animals of small and industrial sized farms, and physically and politically care about the earth.
God is an environmentalist, after all He created the environment and loves all His creation!
The word "gratitude" has been on my mind a lot lately. I think it is, indeed, a key to praying without ceasing. I would add that in a receptive but busy-day mindset, God interrupts with thoughts of people and needs, which I try to pray for, then and there, a short lifting up to God. That is my version of praying without ceasing, and right now I pray that I can do this, today.
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
Ephesians 6:18 NASB1995
- Re "pray at all times"...
- I read this as Paul saying, Let all your prayers be in the Spirit. (Like walking in the Spirit, always).
pray without ceasing;
1 Thessalonians 5:17 NASB1995
- Re "pray without ceasing."...
- I read this as Paul saying, Do not cease to be a person of prayer.
I often wondered how the heavens could proclaim the glory of God. Then I saw a NOVA program on the sun. It is now known that star have sound waves. The stars can literally produce sounds of praise!
Excellent! I also love what Teillard de Chardin said: “We imagine the divine as distant and inaccessible, but, in fact, we live steeped in it’s burning layers.” Wow! Heaven is already here, if we can see it peaking through the windows:).
Hello Mark -
What you describe at the bird sanctuary is a state of mindfulness - being attentive, aware, present. I teach (and try to practise) mindfulness as part of my psychotherapy work, and while it has become an almost 'trendy' buzz-word these days, it has deep roots and wide benefits. If we adjust it to include the awareness of God infusing and sustaining our present-moment reality, we could re-name it 'God-fulness' and I do believe that is the sort of living, breathing, moment-to-moment state of prayerfulness that transcends (yet nourishes & informs) our times of intentional, specific 'conversation' with God. Perhaps seeking daily to become not only more mindful, but more God-ful (God-filled and God-aware) is prayer.
Thank you, Mark. I too think about how grateful I am for so many things. I've heard it said that the key to happiness is a grateful heart. It is so true! It carries me through difficult times as I know it must you also.
Gratitude. When I wake in the morning, I feel it. When I take my daily walk, I express it to God. I am grateful. All that I am, all that I have or ever will have is by grace. I am making an effort to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and often find myself near a park bench when it’s time to pray. It is grace that put me there and I am grateful for the time. God brought me back into the Church seven years ago, and I am immensely grateful. My life is full of joy and gratitude. Thank you for the post.
I am inspired by the OT patriarchs who answered God's summons by saying "Here I am!" Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, and Isaiah stood ready to do anything God asked anytime he asked. What a way to live in relationship to God! Some months ago, one of the readings in the Liturgy of the Hours inspired me anew. It was from Baruch 3:34 ... "the stars shone in their watches, and were glad; he called them, and they said, "Here we are!" They shone with gladness for him who made them." Just like the canticle in Daniel 3 says, all creation adores the Creator and "shines for gladness for him who made them". Continual prayer must be something like that.
Like you, I haven't taken it to mean a formal concentrated prayer with your eyes closed and on your knees. Mostly an attitude of prayer in which the line of communication is always open. I'm not opening a new conversation with the Lord - I'm continuing the one I always have, even if there's long moments of silence between words. He is always with us and knows everything about us. As Dennis Blue noted in his excellent response, He already knows exactly what we need. One could conclude that in a very real and spiritual way - He is experiencing what we are experiencing at the same time. Nothing is hidden from Him: the dark, the light - even the deceitfulness of our heart that will quite happily lie to us - is not hidden from Him.
I have concluded that prayer is as much consciously aligning ourselves with His will as it is any importuning of Him for something we think we need or want. And if we truly are aligned - we should be rejoicing in His No as well as His Yes. And THAT can be very hard to do!
Not as eloquently stated as your post, but following is an excerpt on prayer from one of my books.
PRINCIPLE 1: PRAYER. The first and foremost of the 5 principles is prayer. Daily communication with Jesus through the Holy Spirit is essential if we are to glorify God in all we think and say and do. Phil. 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”. Throughout our married life Dorothy and have prayed without ceasing. Sometimes doors were closed, at other times doors were opened. Sometimes we liked the answer and sometimes we were disappointed. We learned that God always hears and answers our prayers in his own time and way for our good. Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path”. We do not know where the path will lead us one step at a time, but we know and trust who is leading.
I begin each day with prayer----petitions and praise for what Jesus has done in my life and for those around me. Throughout the rest of the day prayer is not an event, it is a natural part of my being. Like breathing, Jesus is the source of my spiritual life, without which I will surely die.
The Bible is filled with scriptures on prayer. The NIV translation of the Bible has 367 specific Bible verses about prayer. How can I be sure God hears my prayers? 1 John 5:15 "And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." He already knows exactly what we need before we ask.
God answers prayers because he loved us enough to send his son Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross. When we take the time to pray, we acknowledge our dependence upon the Lord and get to know him better, it is a proactive act of faith. Our goal is to know Christ personally, not know about Christ intellectually.
Prayer is a two-way conversation. Continually asking and not listening is a one-way conversation. How much of your prayer life is asking for something instead of seeking God and his direction for your life? Be aware you do not love the gifts more than the giver. God takes care of the birds of the air and clothes the flowers of the field, how much more he will care for you. The Lord’s Prayer reminds us, “Our Father in heaven, · hallowed be your name, · your kingdom come, · your will be done-----Matt. 6:9-13. Our goal should be to see God’s will carried out here on earth through our personal lives.
Several years ago, I discovered the following statement, the origin of which I've never been able to ascertain, but which nonetheless continues to leave a profound impression upon me, and appears to be what you have written about today: " All of life is prayer, if you let it."
Turner Howard
Thank you. Just...THANK YOU!
"...reverberating with the glory of God"
I think this says it all for me. I've come to believe prayer is so much more than "conversing with God" or some kind of formulaic "ACTS" exercise. It is an alignment of my heart, soul, mind and spirit with the creator of the universe. It's this resonance, reverberating or perfect sense of shalom that is the meaning and purpose of prayer. It encompasses the whole of our relationship - worship, thankfulness, love for Him and our fellow man. It's not so much an attitude or act of communication as much as a posture and life focus directed toward our God. It's achieving a level of intimacy that is so much more than words. It is how we should live our lives in perfect harmony with Him and His purpose for us. Hence, something we should always do "without ceasing" and "continuously".
It's not a practice, it's a life lived in perfect communion. It what the universe that lives in that perfect communion declares every moment of every day. The glory of God.
Henry Paasonen
Prayer is always, in one way or another, a means to glorify God, to bring glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Yet, "apart from me you can do nothing", said the Lord. Even so to pray and so to bring glory to God -- by reflecting the glory which comes from God back to God -- without ceasing is a dynamic work of the Holy Spirit in us and by His gift of faith. To pray without ceasing is a partnership with the Spirit of God dwelling in each of us -- "Christ in you the hope of glory". Even so we cannot add to the glory of God. We are, each, an imago Dei, reflecting His glory, responsible for unceasingly reflecting His glory, resembling Christ in doing nothing which does not come from the Father. Unceasing prayer is not centered or initiated by any of us. Unceasing prayer is centered and sourced in "Christ in you the hope of glory." Therefore, the Apostle Paul tells us what he wants, prays for what he wants, supremely. Philippians 3:10-12. So to know is unceasing prayer
Yes, scripturally everything in the universe praises God or can praise God. This suggests that animals and insects may also be aware there's a God and if trees and the sun(s) may be conscious and if they're conscious, they may also be aware there's a God.
This is all the more reason to be vegetarian, not confine pet animals such as birds, fish and reptiles to cages and in zoos not use and abuse animals as entertainment such as in the circus and zoos (zoos have a small element of education, but are predominantly only for human entertainment), certainly not kill animals for violent entertainment aka "hunting for sport", humane treatment of farm animals of small and industrial sized farms, and physically and politically care about the earth.
God is an environmentalist, after all He created the environment and loves all His creation!
The word "gratitude" has been on my mind a lot lately. I think it is, indeed, a key to praying without ceasing. I would add that in a receptive but busy-day mindset, God interrupts with thoughts of people and needs, which I try to pray for, then and there, a short lifting up to God. That is my version of praying without ceasing, and right now I pray that I can do this, today.
Pray at all times / Pray without ceasing?
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
Ephesians 6:18 NASB1995
- Re "pray at all times"...
- I read this as Paul saying, Let all your prayers be in the Spirit. (Like walking in the Spirit, always).
pray without ceasing;
1 Thessalonians 5:17 NASB1995
- Re "pray without ceasing."...
- I read this as Paul saying, Do not cease to be a person of prayer.
“Don’t ever get done praying.”
I often wondered how the heavens could proclaim the glory of God. Then I saw a NOVA program on the sun. It is now known that star have sound waves. The stars can literally produce sounds of praise!
Excellent! I also love what Teillard de Chardin said: “We imagine the divine as distant and inaccessible, but, in fact, we live steeped in it’s burning layers.” Wow! Heaven is already here, if we can see it peaking through the windows:).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpXgyIfNciY